In a previous article, we discussed in general terms how to support an acquaintance in their search for a new job. Now we bring you concrete tips on how to succeed and get a job.
Effort and initiative
The amount of activity and effort you put in plays a crucial role in your job search. Don’t give up despite obstacles or setbacks. When things don’t go well, you have to look for all possible ways. There are quite a few ways to get a job.
Labour Office
The first step a jobseeker takes is to register with the employment office. There, he or she will be assigned a responsible person to help him or her find his or her way around. After working for a certain period (for example, two years in Slovakia), you are entitled to unemployment benefits. If he or she is below the minimum subsistence level, he or she is entitled to material hardship benefits . This tends to be a partial income replacement in the beginning. The authorities also organise job fairs, where mostly jobs in the region are presented. They also organise selection procedures. They also provide retraining courses or allowances and subsidies (e.g. for commuting, relocation).
Changing career orientation
Try applying for other jobs, even if you’ve done something completely different in a different sphere. After all, as they say – change is life. Changing jobs can bring something new, rewarding and certainly positive into your life. Especially if you’ve been in one job for a long time and now you can’t find anything similar, try thinking of another job that would appeal to you.
Improving qualifications
Expanding your knowledge and skills is certainly one of the most promising ways to find a job. There is no harm in taking a retraining course, language training, applying for an unpaid internship, getting a driving licence or any other form of additional study that will give you a better chance of getting a job. Today, many companies require computer skills. The great benefit is that in the current online era you can take a course from the comfort of your own home without having to go anywhere. Popular courses include the basics of graphics or programming. If you have gaps in your computer skills, go that route. You may also be able to take specific courses such as a forklift course, welding course or caregivercourse.
Brigades
If you can’t get a permanent job, if nothing else, at least get a temporary job. Also take up ancillary work. You never know when fortune will smile on you, and if you prove yourself to be a smart, hard-working and responsible worker, and your employers are happy with you, a temporary job can turn into a permanent one. And even if it doesn’t, the experience you gain will make your job search easier and you’ll earn an income for a while.
CV
The basic and important point for the candidate is a well-crafted CV that will attract the attention of the potential employer as soon as it is received. After you send your resume, don’t be afraid to remind, call or text to let them know if they even received your resume and when they plan to hold a selection process. Don’t forget to include a cover letter with your CV, but this will of course depend on the specific job. If you are not computer literate, ask a family member to type and print your CV for you. You can also send your CV to companies where you would like to work, even if they don’t have a vacancy at the moment. You leave a contact and if something becomes available, they will get back to you. Or ask for the contact details of the recruiter you call.
Published CV
In addition to sending your CV, post it on the most visited job portals in your country. Many recruiters or recruiters search for staff by visiting these portals and looking at the available CVs, for example in Slovakia it is Profesia. LinkedIn is an increasingly popular social network where you can create a CV and attach your references. Another option is to use this network to contact the recruiters or someone directly from the management of the company where you would like to work.
The the advantage of the power of the internet
It’s also worth trying your luck on social media. Join Facebook groups and look for jobs in them. There are various groups specialising in a particular area, advertising different positions at home and abroad. You can search by the city where you are looking for a job, or by the area you have selected. If you want to work in the catering sector, look for such a group, if you want to work as a caregiver, look for a group for caregiver. The organisations themselves may not post the job offer on the job portal, but on their Facebook page, which will reach you by appearing as a paid advertisement.
You can also reach for working aggregators. These are job search engines that aggregate job listings from multiple sites which include other websites. They combine them into a single searchable interface, the so-called aggregator. Their biggest advantage is that you have countless job ads from different sources in one place, which you don’t have to search for separately. Examples of such sites are Careerjet, Indeed, Jooble.
Socialization
It is important to socialise, which will be reflected in the job interview. Learn to get up as if you were going to work. When you manage to find it, you won’t experience a huge jump where you suddenly have to get up three hours earlier than you’re used to. Keep meeting people, keep networking. Maybe you’ll meet someone who knows of some interesting work. Not all vacancies are advertised.
Activities
Think about your shortcomings and work on them, improve on what you have reserves in. Do something, go for a run, exercise, visit a gym or a cultural event, read a good motivational book, find a new hobby, just don’t stay passive and don’t get stagnant. All of this will be your plus point and will appeal to companies and businesses.
Volunteering
Apply to a non-profit organization or business that is looking for volunteers. You will gain experience and practice that you can use in your future work. When they see them on your CV during the selection process, you’ll immediately get points to your credit. Especially if you’re looking for a job that you have no experience in, it’s better to work, even for free, than to pay for an expensive course.
Trade Fairs
A good option is to go to job fairs, where you can get information about different companies, businesses and institutions. You’ll get a first-hand view of the company that you wouldn’t get from job ads. You will get to know the inside of the companies, what their daily work looks like.
References
It can also help to get references from previous employers where you have proven yourself to be a reliable and skilful worker. Reach out to the companies where you have worked and ask them to write a review about you , how satisfied they were with the performance of your work, and how they enjoyed working with you. It is the references that weigh heavily with employers looking for new employees. You should also contact your former employers to see if they have any vacancies. Companies are happy to welcome people who have worked for them before because they know them and don’t need to train them. Or at least they know companies in the same line of work and can provide a contact.
Leaving for work
Don’t be afraid to leave your hometown for a job in another region, where other opportunities await you, such as meeting new people. Nowadays, it is common to commute for work as well as to move away. If you can’t find anything satisfactory in your home country, go abroad.
Use of time
You can also go abroad for a bridging period. During this time, you will continue to look for work while earning money, plus you will gain experience and improve your foreign language skills, which will help you in your job search at home. For example, offers are available for warehouses, for fruit picking, for shorter-term rotations. ATENA offers income-earning jobs for caregiver during this period. You can also have an interview abroad, more and more companies are organising their selection procedures online , via Skype, Zoom,…
Employment agency
The right way is to turn to a recruitment agency that has a wide portfolio of offers and can easily navigate the job market. He is an expert at finding work. If you lose one job, he will guarantee that he can quickly find a replacement and move you to the new vacancy.
Our agency offers a number of interestingly paid offers at home and in several countries abroad. If you’re looking for a job, we’d be happy to help.
Can you think of another tip on how to find a job? Share it with us.
