5 Ways to Make Yourself Immediately Hireable
Although the skills and attributes required to land a job naturally differ depending on an individual’s preferred career, there are some general steps that every prospective employee can take to all but cement their spot in the job market.
1) Cover Your Bases
In the last decade, modern employers have hurtled full tilt into the digital age meaning that most have chosen to dispense with traditional hiring techniques in favour of an online approach. Consequently, modern-day job search protocol has changed, meaning that the majority of job application errors now manifest themselves in either an understated or excessive online presence.
Although there are multiple channels through which individuals can market themselves online, the non-negotiable steps that must be taken largely depend on your chosen career. For example, neglecting to create a Behance portfolio is a non-starter if pursuing a career in design, while a blank-profile-picture-zero-connections-made Linkedin account will hardly inspire confidence from an employer in the marketing field. Regrettably, not complying with your chosen industry’s online norms will often leave you at a distinct disadvantage in the hiring process.
2) Give Back
No matter what your chosen field, employers are always on the lookout for proactive and motivated graduates. Thus, being able to cite charity or volunteer work on your CV immediately indicates to employers that, not only does the candidate in question exhibit real character but that he or she also found time to both give back to their community and succeed academically.
3) Internships
The value of internships and vacation work simply cannot be overstated in the hiring process. Not only does it signal to potential employers that you are passionate about your respective field, it also serves to provide you with the base skills needed to settle into any future job.
4) Keep Your CV Updated
A stellar CV which reflects your most recent achievements is essential. Consistently recycling an outdated CV could give off the impression that you’ve professionally stagnated or simply lack motivation within the field. Furthermore, be precise! As you’ll likely find that misspelling ‘detail orientated’ in the opening paragraph of your CV is quite hard to bounce back from.
5) Do Your Research
Being interviewed is generally a harrowing experience done well by few and enjoyed by less. Unfortunately, it is a gauntlet that needs to be run by practically all job seekers. Interview questions are usually extremely generic meaning it is often hard to distinguish yourself through the process. However, exhibiting knowledge about the company and asking relevant questions can indicate that you’re not there only to secure employment but also to ensure that the company matches your professional ambition, thus serving to distinguish you as a suitable long-term candidate.
Being hired ultimately represents the culmination of years of hard study. Considering this, students really do owe it to themselves to ensure that their applications are as well thought out as possible. That being said, the foundation for any job application must always be rooted in firm prior academic achievement, with the various academic programmes offered at VUT sure to provide a firm platform off which you can launch a noteworthy career.