The Terror of Job Hunting Facing Your Fears

The Terror of Job Hunting Facing Your Fears The Terror of Job Hunting: Facing Your Fears 31 Oct 2019 Job searching is a frightening prospect, but this Halloween we’re here to turn some common job-related tricks into handy treats! Returning to work after a break Taking a break from employment is becoming more popular; whether it’s maternity/paternity leave, taking time to travel, or returning to education. No matter how long or the reason for the break, returning to work can seem a daunting prospect, but don’t let this scare you off! We’ve helped many candidates jump right back into the job market. The first step is updating your CV. Expectations and standards change all the time, so regularly scanning your CV for any quick amendments is imperative. Remember, honesty is the best policy; employers will see a gap in your work history and telling them honestly why you took a career break is always the right thing to do - just make sure you have a valid reason and justification for taking that break. It’s also important to reconnect and network. There can be some truth in “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” so make sure you take advantage of your connections. Get back in touch with old work colleagues or friends to get in-the-know about the goings on in their work lives. You never know what job opportunities might come out of it. For more tips on retuning to work after a career break, check out our previous blog. The Interview We’ve all been there; you’re in an interview, the interviewer asks you a question you weren’t prepared for and there’s a haunting silence. All you can hear is that voice inside your head screaming at you to say something, but there’s nothing but panic. Preparation results in the most treats; make sure you go into your interview knowing your stuff and you’ll be more confident than ever before. Research the company through their websites and social media channels, get up to date on current trends and stories within the industry, research the job role through the job spec and try to decipher what sort of competencies the employer might be looking for. Remember, practice makes perfect â€" if you go into an interview well-rehearsed and knowing your stuff, then you have a good chance of avoiding the haunting silence. Read our tips on preparing for an interview to avoid this scary situation. Rejection You’ve applied for a job you really want, been shortlisted, and have progressed to the final interview, only to get that shiver-inducing call that you’ve not been successful. But, much like jump scares in horror movies, rejection is an integral part of job hunting and should be a short, sharp shock that you can recover from quickly. The most important part of being rejected for a job is not to take it personally. Think of it like this; it’s not that you weren’t good enough for the job, but most likely that another candidate was a better cultural fit or had more specific skills that the business was looking for. Make sure you look at the situation objectively and stay professional - your perfect job will come by eventually. Don’t play the victim in the horror stories - use rejection to your advantage by asking for feedback; most employers will be happy to provide some information on how you came across in the recruitment process and it will give you the opportunity to reflect on your performance and where you can make improvements. For more advice, read our blog on handling rejection. The First Day Jitters We’ve all had those first-day nerves; you’re not quite sure what to wear, you don’t fully know what to expect and you put pressure on yourself to make a great first impression â€" all of which can be very overwhelming. The first thing to remember is that you got the job, so you must have done something right! Take confidence in the fact that you’ve been through the recruitment process and have been successful; you wouldn’t have been hired if the company didn’t believe in you to do a good job. The work doesn’t finish when you get the job, though. In fact, it’s just starting. As we all know from the horror movies, taking the short cut is never a good idea, so you can’t cut corners in a new job. Do extensive research on the company before you start to make sure you are fully prepared; websites such as Glassdoor can give you a good insight into the profile of the business and can help you understand a bit more about what to expect from the job. Make sure you also work hard from day one; your work ethic will show through immediately and will instantly make a good impression in the business. Take the initiative to introduce yourself to everyone in the office and get involved with goings-on as soon as you can â€" you can’t go wrong with being enthusiastic about the job!   Job hunting and Halloween can be very much alike, but much like you can enjoy the haunting festivities of Halloween, you can enjoy the unpredictability of looking for that perfect job. So, it’s time to overcome those fears; get in touch with us today to find that perfect job!