Starting to work can seem very complicated if we haven't done it before, but almost everyone manages to do it. We'll tell you how to achieve it. What do we want and what do we like?
If we're terrible at making decisions and getting people to follow us, we shouldn't look for a team leader position. If we're very shy and hate talking to strangers, it's better not to seek work facing the public. Obviously, right? Well, not so much because many times we don't stop to think about our disadvantages and abilities before starting to send resumes. Come on, what helps us the most in this phase is to do a
SWOT analysis. So that work is not more odious than it already is to have to do something out of obligation every day, it's better that we sit down for a moment and think:
what am I good at?, what do I like to do?, where do I excel?, what am I worst at?, what things do I not like to do?, what are my short, medium, and long-term goals? Knowing ourselves a little better will help us focus on one sector or another and approach work with more confidence in our worth.
Getting organized is already starting to work
It's not about sending resumes randomly and that's it, especially if what we're looking for is to work in a sector that interests us or for which we have trained. We must keep track of what we do and note the places to which we have sent the resume and the exact date, in case we want to send a reminder later on. It's also important to keep track of the channels we have used to do so (phone, emails, job websites, temporary work agencies, etc.), as well as the names of the people we have contacted. We shouldn't hesitate to try to access the position through different means: we can send the application by email, but also hand in the resume in person or call on the phone. It's not about being annoying, but about showing interest. Wanting to work is not something to be ashamed of.
Resumes and more
It's important to create a resume that speaks well of us, that is appropriate for the position we aspire to, and that is honest. And we shouldn't be afraid to use all our creativity because a different resume will give us more visibility (although we shouldn't overdo it either). The LinkedIn profile should not just be there for the sake of it. It's necessary to bring it to life and join groups of people with the same degree or who aspire to work in the same sector. This way we'll do
networking, which is much more useful than it seems. We must also keep the rest of our social networks presentable: they say a lot about us and companies consult them more and more. Talking to our friends and making our intention to work public also helps: you never know who knows someone who may be looking for a worker with our profile. Obtaining the
eTítulo is very helpful. It's clear that the more easily we can send our degree to companies, the easier it will be for us to be considered in the selection process. An electronic university degree that we can send by email anywhere in the world will always expand our possibilities much more than if we have to send certified photocopies to the companies we are interested in.
Let's not stress ourselves...
It's not logical to think that just by sending a few resumes we will be called the next day. Sometimes there is luck and sometimes there isn't, so we shouldn't despair. It's important to understand that the search may take some time. Getting a job, especially one that is worthwhile, is not (usually) something that happens in a moment. We have to persevere, maintain an optimistic attitude, and have patience. In the end, we will have our opportunity to work and we will surely miss the times when we didn't work and could combine classes and leisure.
When the interview comes
When they finally call us, it's important not to ruin all our efforts by not being able to face the interview, which can happen if we make a bad impression. We must prepare ourselves mentally: an interview to work in a company is nothing more than a simple conversation about the position, its demands, ours, its offer, and our skills; it's not a big deal. It's good to be direct, sincere, and not get carried away with anecdotes, but we shouldn't be dry or too cold either. They have to want to work with us. It's about maintaining a cordial and polite attitude. We must also control nervous movements (like shaking our leg non-stop or biting our nails), look into the interviewer's eyes (but not as if we were trying to hypnotize them), maintain a correct but not rigid posture, breathe normally, and relax. Above all, we have to remember our worth and trust ourselves, because that confidence is transmitted.
