Whilst there are a lot of work openings out there, there are more than enough work seekers, how do you get yourself noticed? You need to create a covering letter, a Curriculum Vita and a telephonic personality that catches the eye and ear of potential employers. More importantly, these things need to accurately reflect your personality and abilities.

 

The first step to finding a work is to apply. Do not apply to willy-nilly to anything that you think you might possibly, with a bit of luck, qualify for, apply to vacancies you are actually qualified for and meet the requirements of. If you are not sure, call the person who placed the advert and ask! A recruitment agent would rather have you make sure that you are qualified than have to wade through hundreds of non-applicable Curriculum Vitae to find the one or two Curriculum Vitae that are actually suitable for the position.

 

A covering letter should give a brief outline of your experience and qualifications. Your covering letter is your letter of introduction to a potential employer. It is your very first impression. It is not your entire life story, nor is it a simple “Here’s my Curriculum Vita”. It should be to the point, relevant and courteous. A good idea is to highlight what parts of the advertised work specification you meet and where you are lacking. The language should be courteous and semi-formal. Use language that you would use at work, not go looking for synonyms to make yourself seem more intelligent. More often than not the big words are used incorrectly and you get written off as being a show off.

 

Your Curriculum Vita should give as much information as possible. You should start with your personal details, then your education (both secondary and tertiary, including any courses for which you have certificates) and qualifications, followed by your work experience from most recent to earliest with a full list of duties. The more detailed you make you list of duties, the more a potential employer can determine what you are capable of handling. Lastly you should include references for as many companies as possible. Make sure you know what your references are going to say about you, a bad reference gets your request written off before you even have a chance to defend yourself.

 

When answering the phone, greet and introduce yourself courteously. Do not wait for the caller to ask for you by name. Speak clearly and answer the questions concisely. Do not avoid questions. Have all the necessary information close at hand so that the caller does not have to wait for you to get information. If you say that you will call them back with the information they require, do so as quickly as possible.

 

The next step is usually an interview. Dress neatly and well. Do some research about the company you are being interviewed for; their website is a good source of information. Have all your documents ready and copies of your certificates, Curriculum Vita, ID and payslip handy. Sit straight and speak clearly. Do not chew gum during an interview or smoke right before one. Make eye contact and try not to appear shy.

 

The rest is up to the other candidates. Employers will only select the best of the available options. It is up to you to make sure that you are the best by the way you present yourself and conduct an interview. Good luck!