Fresher: Finding Your First Job

April & May, the months where students come out fresh from Colleges and Universities, some of you may have already planned for further studies and many of you aim to find a job and start your career. For all those freshers who want to kick start your career, first and foremost you have to prepare a winning CV/Resume that helps you get an interview call – an invite to an interview. The next stage is to perform well in your interview that will get you your first job. All Freshers should remember in order to be a successful candidate you have to work hard and be committed in your work, which will take you to great heights in your career.

Prepare a CV/Resume

First & foremost, you must prepare a relevant CV/Resume. A curriculum vitae or CV is a short document that describes your personal details, key skills and experience. It is very important that you describe yourself in a positive way and the CV should match the job description. Do not wait for your results to be announced to prepare your CV; you can always mention in the CV that you are waiting for your results. Get advice from your seniors, working professionals and search the internet to prepare a great CV that will lead you to an interview. Make sure that after you have prepared the CV, send it across to trusted friends and family who can give valuable comments on the CV. Once you feel confident that your CV looks good then start to apply for jobs.

Where To Find Your Job?

You should know where to look for your jobs. Vacancies can be found in:

-Your College and University Placement Office notice boards.

-Newspapers (Most of them advertise on Wednesdays and Sundays weekly)

-Job search websites e.g. someone like us www.chennaijobsite.com

-Job consultancies/Recruitment agencies

-Company websites

Applying for a Job

Companies have different ways to apply for jobs namely a CV accompanied by a covering letter or an application form. Let us look at both.

Covering Letter & CV

When companies ask to send a CV, you will be asked to send a covering letter as well. It is always better to send a covering letter with the CV, as this can be used as a tool to impress the HR personnel apart from the CV. Many interviews have been won by the covering letter. Your covering letter should include the following:

-Job reference id/ number or Job Title

-A clear cut explanation on how you fit the Job role and the contribution you can offer in achieving the company’s’ goals

-Ensure that the document is spell and grammar checked before you send it to the company.

Application/Online Forms

Companies may ask you to complete an application form via paper application or more commonly an online form. When you fill in these forms, please make sure that you read and understand the instructions on the form. If you have any doubts seek clarification, there is no point in wasting your time and energy in producing a form which will not be considered.

Do not send an incomplete form as the chances are high that your application will not be read let alone be successful.

The form will have a separate section where you have the opportunity to describe how well you suit the position. This is the most important section in the application form that will earn or reject an interview call. Use the information presented to you, the job description, and/or person specification as they have all the clues as to what the organization is looking for.

Key skills

Highlighting your key skills and co-relating them to the job role will be key to the success of your application. You must demonstrate that you have:

*Excellent communication skills

*Good working relationships

*Ability to work in a team

*Computer literacy

*Any other skill they have highlighted in their job role

Interview Call

If your application has impressed and is successful, the relevant person such as the HR personnel of the company will contact you and invite you in for an interview. (Ensure all contact details are accurate on your CV and forms). This is an opportunity for you to communicate directly and a chance for the company to assess whether you are suitable for the job and for you to assess if the company is suitable for you.

Some interviews have more than one stage Successful completion of all stages will lead you to your first job.

Wishing you all the very best for your Job search!