How To Make Yourself More Employable!

[Hannah591]

You know the case, finding a job is very hard when you're young or straight out of education. High paid, dream jobs come once in a blue moon and that doesn't mean you'll get it, yet there's plenty of low paid, uninteresting jobs that no-one really wants. But this is for those dream jobs you want - how can you make sure you're the one they choose or even get in their good books during the interview process?

Experience

This is a no brainer. This is mainly what is asked of you, although you've literally just stepped out of college or university, it's not possible for you to already have experience, unless you got a part time job in something related to it or volunteered, but most people focus on their studies!

However, your best bet is, once you're finished with education, focus on getting a job or volunteering in the "sector" of the career you want. For example, if you want to be a veterinary surgeon, start at the bottom as an animal assistant or volunteer for an animal charity.

Expand your knowledge

There are loads of very useful and interesting courses that you can take in your own time, entirely online for free or at a very cheap price. You can also do entire degrees online for cheaper than enrolling at a university and going there physically. Make sure you get a certificate at the end and that it's actually recognised by employers before you take one. It's an easy way to gain more knowledge of the job sector you're interested in and it's something else to add to your CV that another potential employee might not have. It's a competition, so get ahead!

Put yourself in their shoes

If you were the employer for the job you want, what would you want/need from an employee to get the job done correctly and reliably? Reflect on yourself and ask yourself if you can actually provide for that employer and if you feel you couldn't, work out what you can do to make yourself more appealing to that employer and even more useful for that company.

Confidence in your abilities

It's not much use applying for a job when you're unsure of whether you can actually do it. Look up the specifications of the job and what they look for in a person. If you can say "I can do that" for everything, then great - you'll feel confident in your ability to do the job and that will come across in your interview. If one or two of the requirements are something you feel you definitely couldn't do or learn, then it's likely not the right job for you and there will always be a slight feeling of insecurity when going for the job.

Most importantly, stay positive in your job search! It can be relentless but your hard work will pay off in the end, but whilst you're unemployed and searching, make sure you've honed in your skills and expanded your knowledge so you're ready for when that dream job does come up!

[meowcow]

Most new entrants into the field of professional jobs often lack the simple traits of personality and charisma.

In many job interviews, the interviewer will not have the time or patience to fully evaluate your potential. The questions are high-level and general, and most questions can be handled fairly easily.

What is more telling about the candidate is how they handle themselves during the interview. A slouch, forgetting names, a limp noodle handshake, responses that ramble on, stuttering, ummming and ahhing, your tone of voice... all tell more about you that your actual answers. When a C-level executive walks into an interview for a new CEO position, you can bet he handles himself better than a new graduate with his first job. Even without the knowledge and experience that is gained over the years, you can still learn to walk into a room with your head held high, give a strong handshake, greet people strongly, remember their name, speak clearly and concisely... etc.

Such skills are often lacking in millenials that spend more time texting on their phone than talking to a real person. Education alone isn't going to get you the job. It's merely the minimum requirements for the job opportunity - not a guarantee or entitlement of a job.

[Courtney90]

The big thing for us is being reliable with good character. Passing a background check an drug test is also mandatory.

[drakeondegrassi]

It does seem duh but it isn't, people just don't know how to be professional anymore.

[YourFutureEx]

This is exactly what I'm doing these days.

[MissFabulous]

Excellent mytake, very helpful! :)

[coolbreeze]

Great my take and great points.

[John_Doesnt]

This seems like "duh".

[Hannah591]

Not obvious to everyone.

[John_Doesnt]

Yeah it is, because these are all the things that get filled out in a standard application. Even when I applied to McDonald's in high school they asked for: experience, education, abilities and communication skills.
Everybody who has ever applied for a job already knows those things are important.

[Hannah591]

So many people don't volunteer to gain experience or do online courses to get ahead when trying to get the job they want.