Jobskenyan Career Advice Centre
Suppose you want to apply a job to a bank that is expanding and you seem to know this information early enough, how should your letter be?
Nearly a third of hiring managers who currently research candidates via social media said they have found problems that resulted in them rejecting the candidate. Here is what turned them off:
Should you apply or a job in a company that rejected you in earlier interviews. We give you tips on how to ensure you get called again for another open job.
In the current job hunting industry, you will not be hated if you are obsessed about resumes. Who wouldn’t? Currently, if your CV is wrong, then no job for you. The job application competition is at its highest. Just as an example, one of our many clients who advertise with us put up a job for a senior accountant and about 608 candidates applied. Just imagine, there was only one vacancy and if you are not the crème de la crème, then woe unto you. So, what is this grave mistake we make in our CVs and what are the secrets to getting that coveted job?
Frustrated with your job search?
Interviews are very simple exercise if only you take them to be so. By now, if you are a careful follower of our articles, you should be a pro in interview, CV writing, job applications and even application letters. If not we still want to share more experience on the most common mistakes that job applicants make at the interview stage. This is a do-or-die position and you need to be at your best. Avoid flimsy mistakes and you will be OK.
I know after just reading the topic today, you can easily conclude that you know how to do it but no you don’t. Just imagine you were an HR executive who has advertised jobs. How do you expect candidates to send you their applications? I remember sometime back we discussed an article on how to send job application emails but today let us concentrate on the resume. How do you create an email resume that will win interviews and influence recruiters?
What is a cover letter? Many of us are often confused as to what to include in a cover letter. Do you repeat the same info in your CV? What is the importance of a cover letter anyway?
In our current economy, with our shortage of jobs and an abundance of hiring freezes, finding a new job might require some patience. So once you’ve understood the standard job search techniques like a quick CV update and some initial applications, it’s wise to use your free time to shape up as follows:
I am not the best person to advice you on how to nail an NGO or UN job for the sole reason that I have never worked for one. However, I have consulted for a few as a HR professional and this article explores the many reasons why many don’t get these NGO jobs despite their qualifications and experience.
The CV can be written in a professional and neat manner that making it easy for the recruiter to scan and read it, yet most job hunters make the same mistakes in the compilation of their CVs. A few vital improvements to your CV can make the difference between you and the job hunter next to you. Check your CV for these common mistakes and use the guidelines to improve your CV.
We have talked about value and we have talked about presentation. Now let us focus a little on the actual essence of experience. What should be the content is as important as its presentation – maybe more, because this is what really matters. This is what actually would make you a valuable acquisition to the company.
All of life’s journeys begin with the phrase, “I want.”
We are undoubtedly in a competitive world. From the early years in school, we are pitted against each other. We even hear of some schools that grade the performance of children from as early as kindergarten. Through school life, we get through a system that keeps us actively competing for positions and our parents make it worse by insisting we have to be number one. Would you wonder how many number ones we would have in a class if all the parents had their way?
A CV is your first point of contact with an employer. From the employer’s perspective, it’s the only available information with which to assess your skills and suitability for a job.
When employers are looking for a senior executive, they are looking for a person with creative qualities. What, then, are the action verbs and keywords that need to be used in an executive resume? These words are there to show you what you need to show potential employers. Some are obvious cliches and any direct use should be avoided.
Who needs an executive resume?
- Executive
- Senior manager,
- Senior professional with over five years experience,
I know after just reading the topic today, you can easily conclude that you know how to do it but no you don’t. Just imagine you were an HR executive who has advertised jobs. How do you expect candidates to send you their applications? I remember sometime back we discussed an article on how to send job application emails but today let us concentrate on the resume. How do you create an email resume that will win interviews and influence recruiters?
Though the two jobs do not need a lot of experience, the major shortcoming is that most Kenyans qualify and really do apply. There is lots of competition and a candidate can be disqualified on very minor reasons. Information from a reliable source has it that when KRA was recruiting graduate management trainees in the year 2010, they got over 26,000 applicants while the positions were less than 150!!
Your tone says a lot about you. It portrays the confidence in you and the type of person you are. A job applicant that responds in a confident manner is likely to induce confidence in the interviewer.
You need to dress appropriately for the interview. You should always dress in professional attire even if the job happens to be a blue collar job. The fact that you have taken the time to make yourself presentable will definitely impress the people interviewing you. In case the actual job attire is casual, you can be a bit less formal after you get the job.
It goes without saying that everything written in the resume is of extreme importance. In fact, the resume should contain only information that is critical and relevant to the professional. One of the most important aspects of the resume is the career objectives that are inserted by the professional.
Therefore, the connection between the resume and the career objectives paragraph is lost. This creates a strange scenario for the interviewer and it could be one of the reasons why the company did not call you for the interview at all!
Now that we know that the career objectives form an important part of the profile, we should also find out what needs to be marked out as a career objective:
But given the threats caused by the declining economy, stiff competition, mergers and acquisitions among other external factors there is no guarantee that even for the best performer will always have their dream job.
Create a blog and ardently update frequently.
Has this ever happened to you? You’ve been instructed to list your career accomplishments, and you can’t think of any. Or you’re asked in a job interview, ‘What accomplishments are you most proud of?” and you freeze up. You know you have had accomplishments, but you just can’t dredge them up.
There are four very important factors that could help you this year, and if I were you I would pick a small note book and just jot down these simple guidelines, these are some rules I follow myself and has made me a successful person all-round.
Just like a Kenyan and regional employer, I must admit that particular in the finest challenges we face inside the Kenyan marketplace is worker retention. The reality is that business cannot equal to much nor achieve much without excellent human capital. So, exactly how should we keep our people engaged? Exactly how should we retain them when faced with thriving competition that expects to poach your very best self?
Telling the whole truth about yourself in a job interview may mean losing a position to a better-qualified candidate. But the alternative — lying about your degree, qualifications or experience for short-term gain — inevitably will come back to haunt you.
The job market has stiffened, the economy is lower, plus you’ve got to locate a job, now. You’ve got a job interview approaching and also you need every possible benefit to win that job. Where do you turn?
You’ll have plenty of time to prove how personable, friendly and enthusiastic you are at the interview stage. Here’s some advice and CV writing tips to give you the edge:
Whatever the title, the purpose of the position is the same: To train and mentor individuals for management functions in the organization. Duties of a management trainee vary by industry and by the specific firm employing the individual. Often, a trainee will be assigned duties in various departments of the organization. This is to familiarize the trainee with all functions of the organization.
references. Those individuals who can attest to your ability to deliver work-wise. And as we are going to learn, some referees can do more harm than good.
A good candidate with proven achievements on their CV will have the edge over equally good candidates when it comes to short-listing for interview. Having read this, you’ve probably also wondered what you should or shouldn’t include.
If you have young sisters or relatives, make sure they read this one.
Kenyan Jobs:
career profile instead. It’s a brief rundown of your skills and qualifications, targeted to the company and opening. For example: “Accounting graduate with experience in bank and cash reconciliations……………..
Near the end of your CV, briefly list your work history in reverse chronological order.
Ask Yourself Now – Are You On the Right Career Path? Checklists
Many Kenyan job interviews still fall into the traditional style. They are CV and job advert led. This makes it very important to know your CV inside out. I hear many of you saying that this all sounds a bit obvious. I agree, but I have yet to meet a Kenyan job seeker who has mastered this point. Below I will help you understand and master 3 CV related interview questions.
They leave their thinking until the actual interview – Many job seekers wait for the bullets (interview questions) to start flying before they start thinking. Crazy! It’s extremely difficult to recall examples/scenarios at interview. This means waffle, padding, and answers that lack impact. you need to prepare for the common questions in advance.
Most people always receive new employment with exhilaration. Not only is it a guarantee of some income, it is also the chance to meet new people and to show what you can do.
Many experienced but jobless Kenyans opt to start a business when the going gets tough. And in order to make ends meet in this tough economic environment some of us have taken part time jobs.
In this day and age, it is increasingly normal to move jobs on a regular basis. In fact it’s estimated that the average school leaver will work for over 10 employers during their career.
