ephas
28 November 2021
If you’re currently out of work and actively looking for employment, merely looking for a vacant position is not nearly enough. You also have to get yourself “job ready”, so that when an available position does come up, you’ll be more likely to be successful in landing the job.
What does the term “job ready” mean exactly?
Basically, it’s doing everything you can do to be more attractive to a prospective employer and become a close fit to the position they have available. The more job ready you are, you increase your chances of landing a job when you apply for one.
Let’s look at some things you can do to become job ready.
Have Clearly Defined Goals
Unless you know exactly what type of job you’re seeking and the kind of future you envision for yourself, you won’t be able to create a clear road map to achieve your goal. Having goals that are defined narrows things down and makes you focused on exactly what it is you need to do to get to where you want to go.
Do a Digital Literacy Course
A digital literary course is a basic course consisting of just one competency unit. Once students complete the course, they’ll be digitally self-sufficient when it comes to using computers and the internet to search for a job.
Throughout the course duration, you’ll learn how to log onto the job search system, search for jobs and apply for the jobs that take your interest and match your individual skills and experience. The course also teaches students about email and how to send through job applications with attachments. Basic word processing skills to produce digital documents (such as cover letters and resumes) is also a part of the course.
This rudimentary course is designed to assist those with little or no digital literacy skills become competent and self-sufficient in their job hunting endeavours.
Have All of Your Paperwork In Order
You won’t want to be lining up any job interviews until you have all the necessary paperwork in order and ready to go. This includes templates of your cover letters, having your resume ready and up to date and any references from previous employers.
When you have all your documents in order, you can step into an interview armed with everything your potential employer will want to see.
Practice Your Job Interview Skills
Some job hunters are very good at crafting cover letters and putting a nice resume together, but may not be so confident and proficient when it comes to a face to face job interview. If you feel like your job interview skills need some work, then it’s a good idea to practice and brush up on those skills prior to sitting in on any job interviews.
One thing you could do is run through a mock interview with a friend or a relative. They can act the part of the employer, armed with a variety of questions to ask you, including some surprise questions that you haven’t yet prepared an answer for. As you role play your job interview, you’ll be able to see where you’re doing well and what needs improvement. You might even want to consider videoing the process so you can check things like your body language.
Make Sure You Have Appropriate Clothing
You’ll want to have at least one decent set of clothes to wear to job interviews, regardless of the type of job you’re applying for. It’s always best to look your best when you enter the interview room, as first impressions make a powerful statement, positively or negatively.
Do You Have the Skills Required?
Apply for jobs that meet your skillset and experience. If you need to learn new skills to attain the job you desire, now is the time to do everything you can to acquire those skills, as having the necessary attributes an employer requires is a vital part of being job ready.
In Conclusion
Becoming job ready is about knowing what you want to achieve and preparing to be the best candidate for the job role you seek. The more prepared you are, the more confident you’ll be and you’ll increase your chances of success exponentially.
