Job Hunting 101

6:50 PM Basic , Career , Job 0 Comments

College is almost over and it's now time to face the next chapter of your life - JOB HUNTING!

Before you go out there and get the first job that is offered to you, you must do a self-assesment to knoe if it's the right career for you. Know yourself better. Your strengths, goals, priorities and aspirations should be aligned with your first job. Your experiences at school and extra curricular activities will help you in your self-evaluation.

This is only the beginning of a person's greatest careers.

The following steps will guide you in narrowing down your options for your first job.

1. Personality. Your learning process, decision-making style, and the way you react to situations around you define your personality. To excel in your chosen career, your job must be aligned with your personality. This way, you will be in a situation where you can be yourself and be confident in what you do.

2. Values. One of the key elements in determining you want to do is values. Values are defined by your personal beliefs, and principles that are really important to you. This includes the lifestyle you want for yourself, the kind of environment you want to be in, as well as the ethical practices of the organization. If your values are not aligned with your work environment, it will be hard to find fulfillment in your job.

 

Determine the job that is appropriate for you.

3. Skills and Talents. What do you enjoy doing, and what are you good at? Knowing your innate abilities will help you determine you'll perform best. You should find the job where you will able to practice your skills and get the right training to enhance these. If you're naturally good at something, chances are that it is what you enjoy doing and doing this will make you feel most accomplished.

4. Motivation. Finding satisfaction in what you do is key to a happy and successful career. If you are motivated by what you do, you would strive to learn more, perform excellently and continue to develop yourself in that field. Being motivated by what you do will help you achieve long-term career satisfaction.

A talented person is a "plus" in getting a good job.

5. Goals and Ambition. Knowing your personal and career goals, what you plan to do with the money you earn, whether you want to start a business or climb the corporate ladder, when you plan to settle down and start a family will help you narrow down your career options. Find out what you wish to achieve by a certain age and see if the job you're interested in will help you get closer to your goals.

6. Limitations. Constraints such as educational attainment, financial obligations, family commitments, physical disabilities, or other restrictions, must be considered in setting your career expectations. Recognizing this should have narrow down your career options, but should not stop you from achieving your goals.

Finally, job fair happened to me... :D

7. Opportunities. Now that you know your goals, priorities and limitations, you have to identify the available opportunities that match your list. Check the Internet job sites and print classifieds to know what's out there. Moreover, ask your parents, teachers and alumni to learn more about their experiences in getting a job.

Source: "The Ultimate Student Career Guide" by the IBM Recruitment Team. [Page 2]

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