Category: CV Tips

Searching for a new job can be quite daunting for most people.

You are putting yourself out there – showcasing your best qualities – with a fear of being rejected.

I myself found it difficult to put myself out there to kickstart my career. I started my previous part time job at the age of 17, fresh out of school and although I felt considerably unfulfilled in that position, I ended up staying there for 8 long years!

We as humans hate the idea of change. But why? We can’t avoid it. Our entire life is filled with it. So how do we try and combat the fear of change, to be our best selves.  

“The grass won’t be greener”

Many people want to change careers but there is always the fear of it not being what you hoped. In fact, this can be the reason why many people won’t change careers. They are unhappy and complain day in, day out but when it comes to leaving they think:

• What if the new job isn’t any better?
• What if I uproot everything to be placed somewhere that I dislike even more.
• What if? What if? What if?

But ask yourself, what is the worst outcome here? You move from one job you’re not happy in to another?

Ok, so look again, and don’t settle until you find somewhere that does make you feel happy. Find somewhere that you don’t dread travelling to each morning.

And WHAT IF you just happen to find yourself in a new job that you absolutely love. Because that’s what happened for me.

It took me 8 years to pluck up the courage to realise what if the grass isn’t greener on the other side, it certainly isn’t green where I am. So, I did my CV, applied for somewhere new. I joined Servisource in 2018 and haven’t looked back once. 

Read Our Blog: Be Are You Sabotaging Your Job Search?

Rejection

Putting it simply, when applying for a new job, you are basically trying to sell yourself.

You are putting your best qualities, talents and weaknesses out there to people you don’t personally know.  To get that rejection phone call can leave you feeling sad and hopeless. It can even leave you doubting yourself professionally. “Am I not good enough? Maybe I’m better off where I am”. But the best thing you can do from rejection is learn and take away something positive from it. 🙌

Think about it – would you blame yourself if a date didn’t go as planned? Would you never go on another date as long as you lived because one person rejected you?

Simple answer is, NO!

Take a step back and reflect on what has happened.

• Where did it go wrong?
• How can I improve on that?

Instead of putting yourself down and overwhelming yourself with negative thoughts; concentrate on one key area that you can improve on, that you can control and take it from there.

#OneStepAtATime

Read Our Blog: Be Successful in your Job Search – Tips for Success

Underqualified

During my time job searching I was coming across many job specs with responsibilities and requirements that I had no experience in.

This really put me off applying for roles that I had an interest in because of the fear of not being good enough.

Instead of looking at the things that I could do, I was constantly looking at what I couldn’t do within the job spec. (effectively I was pigeonholing myself)

What you need to realise is, no one is ever perfect for the job, and in fact no one wants to hire someone who is over qualified for the job, because there is no room for that person to then grow. 

If you are familiar with many of the job specifications but not all, don’t let this put you off. If you have an interest in the position and feel you would be right for the job, take a deep breath and proceed with your application; focusing on all your core skills.

Time Consuming

Working full time, balancing family life and trying to search for a new career on top of this can take up a large chunk of your time. Trawling through endless job posts, writing individual cover letters, altering your CV each time to suit the Job Requirements.

And this is before you even get to the interview stages!

Job searching does take time and focus, because you need to put your best foot forward. Try to set some time aside each week to sit down and little by little you will get work done.

Alternatively, why not register with a recruitment agency. Recruitisland.ie offers many different job opportunities daily, so why not create a candidate profile, upload your CV and let us take time to help you on your job search.

Recruit Island has numerous strong relationships with a wide range of well-known clients, so this can make it a lot easier to get your foot in the door.

Standing out from the crowd!

In this day and age, there is a surplus of candidates with many similar skills and qualifications as yourself.

So how can you differentiate yourself from the crowd?

• The most important thing is to let your personality shine through. For me, I struggled to write in the interests and hobbies section of my CV.

But if you like to go surfing or horse-riding or even write blogs, write it in there – if you’re feeling confident even attach a link to your blog! This allows the reader to have a feel of what you are all about.

• Adjust your CV to suit the job that you are applying for. It is very important that you do this, someone who’s going through a pile of CV’s can spot a generic one straight away. So, it’s very important that you tailor your CV and cover letter for the job you are applying for. Make the effort.
• Ways to stand out could be as easy as writing a catchy opening in your cover letter to catch the readers eye. If you are successful enough to get to the interview stage, there are many ways that you can be remembered.
• Do your research on the company, inside out. From the start up date to the different processes and IT systems that they use. Find out what charities they are working with and familiarise yourself with those charities. These are all potential topics for you to discuss during the interview process. It also shows the employer that you have taken an interest in the company and what they do.  
• Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask about the company, ask about the daily routine of the role you are applying for. This again shows that you are visualising yourself in the position and allows them to give you an insight into what the role entails.

At the end of the day it is your life, your career. Where you end up is all down to what action you take.

Taking all the above factors into consideration and over coming those fears allows you to take a step outside of your box. To challenge yourself and put the effort into finding your dream job.

For me, it was a daunting experience to even get to the stage of applying for my first job.  But when I eventually plucked up the courage to make my first application for a job, the feeling was like none other.

To think back to why I was so afraid of change and all the “what ifs” and negative mind frame I was in. If I didn’t overcome those fears I would still be working in that job that gave me no fulfilment and left me unhappy.

If you are considering changing career or looking for something different, why not make it your first step to upload your CV to recruitisland.ie to see what else is out there for you?

Whether you want a career in science, administration, finance, healthcare or even construction, help yourself by letting us help you.  

Article Written By:

Donna Cronin |
Recruitment Co-ordinator | Admin & Finance Division
dcronin@servisource.ie
+ 353 (0) 429368341