Are you ready to return to work?
The working world can seem really scary at times. Whether you’ve been out of work for a while and enjoying some time as a full-time parent, or you’ve been in the same job for a long time and you’ve forgotten what looking for a new job feels like, it can be a really intimidating process to start up all over again. But, as with many other things in life, it doesn’t have to be as scary as it first seems. Because the fear of getting started is often more intimidating the doing the thing you need to do in the first place.
So, what you really need to work on, is breaking through the fear. Even though the idea of looking for a new job, finding the courage to apply, actually going to an interview and trying to get the job can seem very scary right now, it won’t be as soon as you get started. So it’s just the getting started part that you need to work on. And that’s what we’re going to talk through in this post. From deciding what you might like to do, to ensuring you feel confident applying, and then working on nailing the interview, here’s how to get back onto the careers market fear-free.
Think About What You Want To Do
The first thing that you need to do as a part of the process, is consider what it is that you want to do. Whether you’re getting back into work after a long time off, or you fancy a career change, you’re going to want to think over your options. Maybe you want a complete change? Or do you want to stick to what you know? It doesn’t overly matter what the answer is, you just have to be confident in the choice that you’ve made.
Consider Some Essentials
While, you’re there, you also need to be thinking about some key elements of your ideal new job too. Because the “what” you’re going to do isn’t always enough. You should also think about whether you want to work full-time or part-time, the kind of working hours that would ideally suit you, as well as the location that you’d like to work in.
Research Vacancies
From here, you’re then also going to want to think about the types of jobs that are actually available. Because it’s one thing having something in mind, but you also have to be able to find that it’s available. So researching the current job market is a good idea to start with. At the same time, you may find that doing this helps you to find a job that you might be interested in doing.
Research CV Skills
But researching the kinds of jobs available isn’t the only kind of research that you could be thinking about doing. If you want to feel confident with your job applications, you need to know how to make yourself stand out. Writing a resume doesn’t have to be hard, but you really do have to know exactly what to do to ensure that you’re able to write the best resume as possible, so reading up on CV skills can help you here.
Brush Up Your Resume
From here, you should also think about redoing your resume too. Because if you want to feel confident with your job applications, you want your resume to be as strong and as impressive as it can be. Check out these simple tips from Uptowork Although you are going to need to tailor it to each job that you apply for, it will be good for you to create a solid copy that you can base each application on.
Start Your Search
Next, you’re then going to want to think about starting your job hunt for good. And don’t worry, because you really are ready. You’ve had a long hard think about what it is you want to do, you’ve researched the job market and aced resuming writing, and you’ve even got a solid starting point with your resume too. So you’re more than ready. There are so many ways to look for a job, so get started. Whether you respond to online ads or send out your resumes to companies, you’d like to work for, put yourself out there and start the process.
Be Strict
But you’re going to have to be strict during the process. Job hunts can be long and stressful, so you don’t want to make it any harder for yourself than you have to. So, be sure to only apply to jobs that you’re qualified for, and that you think you’ll be suited to so as not to get your hopes up if you don’t get an interview, or waste your time!
Make An Impression
Then, when you do get yourself an interview, you’re going to want to ace it. Because more often than not, getting the interview is the hardest part. You then have to wow them when you’re there. For this, you need the right outfit, especially a striking suit. So find your favourite clothing website and check it out for suits and shoes that you can feel confident in your interview. Because you only get one chance to give off the right impression, so make it count.
Practice Makes Perfect
If you’re a little apprehensive about what your interview is going to bring, then you should think about practicing your interview before you go. There are lots of ways that you can prepare for a job interview, but ensuring that you’ve researched the company and practiced some answers to questions that you might get asked will always stand you in good stead.
Ask Questions!
And finally, you need to ensure that you ask some questions at the end of your interview too. Because your interviewer is always going to ask you if you have any questions for them and it always looks good if you’re able to come up with some great questions for them too. So start thinking and write some things down ahead of time.
Note: This is a collaborative post.