Practical Ideas Advice for job & hunters
For many people figuring out what their purpose in life is and how to find their dream career, sometimes takes a lifetime. Setting goals and just believing do not always work for everyone. This is why it is important to know who you are first before deciding where you want to be in life down the road. I truly believe that every human being has a purpose on earth, and you my friend, are no exception…
Some people have their futures mapped out. They go to school – efficiently manage to attain the grades they need, and thus become accepted into their choice of University, and subsequently everything works out for them. If you’re one of the lucky ones who pursued your original career choice and enjoy it, then your life in the workforce will probably be extremely satisfying and rewarding. Nevertheless, working out what you want to do with your life isn’t exactly easy, and if you miss out on getting into what you wanted to do, trust me - it’s not the end of the world.
Countless people have learnt that their initial career choice wasn’t the right one after all, and others find their niche in an area they’d never even considered. Keep in mind, simply because you choose a course or particular college doesn’t mean you’re locked into it. So, even if you study something such as law or medicine, you’re not necessarily trapped into that career. You could end up working in a different, but related field. For example, as a medical graduate, if you don’t want to go into a general practice, you can perhaps work as a researcher or even become a medical journalist.
he path to finding your inner happiness is unique to each person. Many Career mentors, direct their students to take an assessment test, although it may seem redundant, it’s without doubt a great idea. You may not truly realize exactly what you like to do until you ask yourself determining questions. Or, you might know precisely what you enjoy, but you have a problem figuring out how to implement that into a career. There won’t be a right or wrong answer. An assessment test is a detailed questionnaire about your personality and your life.
Depending on your answers, you will be given an explanation, in some form or another to help you establish what type of job would be right for you. You can find online assessment tests. Don’t rely on just one single test, take several. Not all tests are the same, and you may discover a hidden talent, or an appreciation for one topic, that you didn’t encounter from a different test. Take the time to think about what you want out of life. For some it may be becoming a superstar athlete or a science teacher at a local high school or even an entrepreneur creating new ideas to change the world. Whatever the case may be, your dreams and goals can come true in life, no matter your age, race, or any other factor. Just remember to set goals, aim high, and never give up! You have to be willing to be an innovator in your quest to find that dream career. My father once told me, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”
MAKE IT HAPPEN… So you’ve determined what makes you happy – what now…? Sometimes, the hardest part of landing a job is getting your foot in the door. Read on, as we reveal the secret to creating your own opportunities.
The Direct Approach: Find a few places, and give them a call. Be polite and direct when you make your enquiry, and ask to be put through to whoever handles personnel. Occasionally, you might to speak to the person who picked up the phone. When this happens, tell them you’re interested in doing some work experience there, and ask who you can send your resume to. Provided you have an up-to-date, professional-looking CV. Send it in, together with your cover letter, use the letter to draw attention to your positives and briefly state your desire to work there. Conclude, with an impressive and memorable line and politely request a meeting.
The Follow Up: A week after you send out your letter, call the office again and ask to speak to the person you addressed your resume to. Ask them whether they received your letter, and enquire about the possibility of coming in to meet them. Keep the conversation casual, saying something like, “I’ll be near your office next week – would you have five spare minutes to meet me?” Don’t make the person feel pressured.
Be Patient: By this stage, someone at the office or place you want to work must know you exist, whether it’s the receptionist or someone higher up. Don’t assume that a person who has a relatively junior position can’t help. Make sure that whenever you deal with anyone in the company, you’re friendly. If they like you, they might put in a good word for you, or even give you a call if a job opening does ever arise.
Keep On Convincing: Truth is, there’s usually an opening in any company for someone who is highly motivated and efficient. So you have to be all these things and more, whenever you deal with prospective employers. Offer your services for free for a short period of time. Continue to be enthusiastic and polite.
It’s All In The Approach: Depending on where you want to work, your potential employer might welcome a bit of originality. Uncover the nature of the job, and make a judgment about what the best approach is.
Don’t Be Needy: You do not need this job. You need water, food, and air. You do not NEED this job. Neediness is the number-one advantage killer.
Don’t Get Discouraged: When you’re looking for a job, be persistent. Don’t get discouraged by rejection. Above all, keep in mind where you want to be a few years down the track in terms of career, and work out the best strategy to get there. Your hard work will eventually pay off!
Here are some more tips for you to consider:
At The Interview: Once you’ve scored a meeting with a prospective employer, here are some ways to ensure you do well, and land that dream job.
•Dress smartly. Don’t wear too much make-up. Generally, look tidy and professional. Don’t try to impress your interviewer with your dress, attitude or style of communicating, it will backfire. Be honest, direct and authentic instead.
•Research the position you’re going for and the company. Use the internet, read the local paper, make calls and inquiries. And bring your notes with you, including any questions that have come up in the course of preparing. Basically do impeccable homework and preparation about the company and the position. •Make eye contact with your interviewer and smile (when you’re supposed to).
•Think of all the possible questions that could be asked of you and prepare your answers prior to the meeting. When you are asked questions, take your time to answer, making sure you are as concise and articulate as possible.
•Find out what your interviewer wants, how s/he views the position. Get her/him talking as much as possible, while you take notes.
•Ask questions that begin with interrogatives, such as what, how, and why. This will help YOU direct the dialogue. By avoiding simple yes/no answers, this style of questioning helps you find out more about what’s in your interviewer’s mind.
•Get your interviewer to reveal what a “good fit” means to him or her. Your objective is to find out whether this organization is a good fit for YOU.
•Prepare some of your own questions about the job that you’d like the employer to answer. This shows you’re really interested. •Determine your interviewer’s position and uncover any hidden agendas. Word your questions to keep your interviewer reassured, relaxed, and trusting you.
•Be emotionally neutral. Learn to clear your mind of assumptions, fears, and expectations so you can maintain a calm, open-minded perspective at all times. When emotions enter into a negotiation, failure follows. Retrieve a dropped pen if necessary to get your emotions back to calm if they start to intrude.
•Base everything you say ONLY on information that has been disclosed in the interview. Don’t guess what your interviewer means by something, or wants to know.
Happiness in career and life to me is one of the most vital issues we should all cherish as human beings. Being happy is not only good for those who spend the most time with you, such as your spouse, kids, or friends, it’s also good for your health, happiness, and well- being. Like I said before, a great career is not just for the rich and famous, it’s for all of us.
