Category: Job Seeking

In whatever stage of your career, a job interview is the most common event that causes jitters and requires preparation. However, it is rare when this event is as stressful as when it comes to an interview for our first job. Graduates or students in search of jobs other than the standard “How will I introduce myself?” and “What is he going to ask me?” have specific concerns – “What will I talk about when I have no previous work experience?”.

One of the frequent delusions of people just coming to the labour market is that they are implicitly expected to already have work experience. However, there is a large number of entry-level positions that do not require previous working experience. Besides, relevant experience does not necessarily have to be work itself.

We will present different activities that may be significant, and that any recruiter will want to know more about if you apply for the first job.

INTERNSHIPS

Most graduates intuitively know that an internship activity is closest to work experience. However, they often do not present their internship experience in the most appropriate way. If you have performed your internship in a company that is a recognizable name on the market, it may be a plus for your interview. However, what is more important than that is how thoroughly you describe the knowledge that you have gained. It is advisable to present the duties you have performed in detail on the job interview, as well as your learning process. Be free to explain the challenges you encountered, but also how you overcame them. Describe your relationship with the mentor and team members in practice and how you used the feedback that you got. It is crucial whether you have acquired knowledge relevant to the job you apply for. Therefore, before an interview, consider what activities on internship are most similar to those which would be waiting for you at a potential future job.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Most faculties provide a possibility of inclusion in organizations that bring students to a specific area. In addition to these, there are organizations that encourage cooperation of students of different faculties for international exchange, better interconnection between faculties, or finding adequate student practices. On arrival for the first job interview, it is often a belief that the activity and position in these organizations cannot be relevant to the labour market. If we look more carefully at the structure of a typical student organization, it can be observed that most of them have sectors similar to those which can be found in companies. For example, experience in the marketing sector of your student organization can often be great preparation for positions in that area. Therefore, describe your duties in student organizations at the first interview in detail. The challenges you have encountered, the sectors you have communicated with and the projects you have been involved in – all of this can be interesting information to a recruiter. Furthermore, independence and proactivity, which are frequent escorts of engagement in student organizations, may leave a good impression about you as a future professional.

VOLUNTEERING

Behind almost every major event that is organized from sports competitions to film festivals, a large number of volunteer students stand. These activities can be an excellent opportunity for the acquisition of organizational and communication skills. Also, many students choose to be active in the NGO sector to advocate for specific social goals. Such engagements can be interesting for companies since most of them choose certain social goals that they support.

STUDENT PROJECTS

Apart from the standard exam checks, today’s studies include pre-exam obligations in the form of drafting different presentations and projects which can later be a part of your CV. They provide insight into the analytical skills and topics that interest you. Therefore, do not be surprised if a recruiter wishes to discuss the engagement on student projects in more detail.

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES

Another possibility available to today’s students is to have part of your studies abroad. Also, a large number of students decide to work abroad during summer and programs such as Work & Travel. Although these programs do not have to have direct links to the job that you apply, international experience and active use of foreign languages can be your advantage, especially if you apply for a position in a company that operates on a global level.

Before your first job interview, go through your activities during your studies. Apart from these, all experiences that have helped you develop the skills and knowledge necessary to perform the work that interests you will be relevant. Good luck!

During an interview, we as recruiters generally do not ask tricky questions, although candidates often seem to think the opposite. That is precisely why we would like to clarify what an intention lays behind certain questions that candidates are most often hesitant about how to answer and ask if there is an accurate answer.

What are your salary expectations for this position? There are no accurate and inaccurate answers to this question, but it is asked with an intention to determine whether candidate’s expectations and employer’s budgets fit. This is often important to determine at the very beginning of the process because if an employer does not have a budget high enough to meet the candidate’s expectations, there will be no joint co-operation in the end. In such a case, we spent both employer’s and candidate’s time, discontent occurs on both sides, and maybe that time could have been better invested in some other position that better coincides with wishes and capabilities of both sides.

Being an HR agency, we are often obliged not to communicate exact amounts of salaries to candidates, and in order to come to successful placement of a candidate, we strive to determine expectations of each candidate. We can comment on whether an expectation fits into or exceeds the budget for position so that a candidate is about to gain an overview of the situation. If expectations are too high for an employer’s budget, it is important for us to determine whether a candidate is flexible and if there is a space for negotiations to ultimately employ a candidate on mutual satisfaction.

An amount that you specify as an expected salary will sometimes not be the same as an amount that was eventually offered to you. The height of wages can be fixed and the same for all employees in this position, so your expectations do not really affect the final offer, but there may be a salary range for certain positions, and the exact offer is created according to an individual: given the knowledge, experience, and skills in every concrete case.

Before an interview, be sure to get informed about the approximate salary of people in similar positions and consider the salary that you would really be satisfied with in the future. It is always good to come prepared with predetermined and realistic expectations so as not to have an unpleasant surprise during an interview.

 Are you actively looking for a job and are you already involved in other selections processes? This question is also not a tricky one, but a technical one set to determine the selection process itself. A recruiter will consider this information of great importance so that they can adjust the speed of the selection process. Namely, if at the moment of an interview you already have a business offer from another company, it would not be fair to you, or to other employer, to wait for feedback for a longer period. Therefore, we strive to finish this process as quickly as possible, and of course, with the intention of being the first to give you a job offer. It is also important that we know what jobs you apply to, in order to get a picture of your wishes for the future and your career plans.

What is your biggest flaw? This question can be asked in several different ways, in terms of what you do not like about yourself or where you see the space for personal progress. We all have highs and lows, and it is important that before the job interviews, you think about your advantages, but also your weak sides, and to reflect about what traits are really needed for a particular position. Before the interview, read and analyse the job description, identify the skills necessary to perform the specified duties. Turn your flaw into your own asset and show a desire for progress through the idea of how to improve in this field. This question is certainly not set to eliminate you, but rather to give you an opportunity to present yourself in the right light, and show that you are realistic and conscious of yourself, so that it would be good to avoid cliché answers such as “I am a perfectionist, I am too devoted to work” or “I do not have any flaws,” because they sound untruthful and inconclusive. Be honest when you talk about your flaws, because that is something which will be sensed from a recruiter’s side.

Recruiters have a task to find the best person for a specific position. If they misestimate your ability and motivation for a job, there is a possibility that you can get a job that you will not be satisfied with and you will have a desire to change it very quickly. Although a candidate’s motive to be chosen for the position they applied for is always very strong, the best situation for all involved parties (candidates, recruiters, and employers) is that behind our motivation for a job is a good analysis of ourselves and the job that we are applying for. Therefore, prepare yourself for an interview as well as you can and present yourself honestly in the best possible way.

The process of finding a job at some moments can be exhausting, stressful, and with a lot of doubts that accompany it. Candidates who are beginners in this process often feel lost and discouraged, and jitters are a very frequent companion of job interviews.

Jitters are a kind of fear that occurs in situations when a person estimates that they are not ready enough for an upcoming event or that they do not have enough capacity for it. As such, jitters can encourage a person to be further prepared for an upcoming event, and then we say it is stimulating stage fright. On the other hand, it can also make a person want to quit, or they become completely blocked, and then we call it inhibitive stage fright.

There are various techniques that are used and can help people who encounter jitters, anxiety, or nervousness before an important upcoming event. In subsequent lines, we will try to present practical techniques that can help you prepare for an important upcoming event.

1. What is the worst that can happen?

In situations when you feel nervous and insecure about your knowledge or skills, it is useful to ask yourself a question “What is the worst that can happen?”. It happens that people in stressful situations perceive those situations as worse and harder than they really are and anticipate consequences as more significant and more serious compared to what may really happen. When you ask yourself this question, you will realize that what can happen is not the worst thing and that the situation is not as bad and irreversible as it seemed to you at first glance. Then the feeling of tension and anxiety will be reduced, and this will help you be more relaxed about the upcoming event.

2. 4 – 7 – 8 breathing exercise

This is a technique that can significantly help you rid yourself of the feeling of tension just before an important event. It is straightforward, and it takes about five minutes to perform it:

• Place yourself comfortably in a chair and close your eyes
• Breathe deep through your nose counting to 4
• Then, hold your breath counting to 7
• Exhale slowly counting to 8

You can repeat this technique several times. Deep breaths will help you inhale the oxygen into your system, which is very important for its functioning. Holding breath helps us intake oxygen into our bloodstream and reach all cells of the organism. The last step, the exhale, will slow the heart’s work and return it to normal. This exercise can also serve when you have troubles sleeping.

3. Superhero posture

Different pieces of psychological research confirm the thesis that taking a specific position of the body can affect the increase in confidence. The pose of superheroes involves standing in the so-called open position, with spread legs, your hands on hips and with eyes looking up. This posture can cause changes in behaviour and neuroendocrinological system (an increase of testosterone, as well as a reduction of cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone). Besides, people who occupy the pose of superheroes have a greater tendency to take risks.

4. Progressive muscular relaxation

This technique allows us to have deep muscle relaxation, as it reduces the feeling of tension and anxiety. For this technique, you can take out 15 minutes and also exercise in everyday situations. The essence of the exercise is alternating contractions (about 5 seconds) and the relaxation of a certain group of muscles. Between each muscle group, take a 15-seconds recess. You can start the exercise from your head, and down to the following muscle regions:

• head (lifting of the forehead)
• neck (lifting the shoulders high to the neck)
• back (touching the shoulder blades)
• hands (relaxing and tightening the fist)
• chest (deep breath)
• stomach (retracting the stomach)
• legs (relaxing and tightening of the whole leg)
• calves (relaxing and tightening)
• feet (strong push of toes to the interior of the foot)

Switching between tension and relaxation, you will learn to distinguish these conditions and become more aware of the parts of your body that are particularly tense.

In the previous rows, we went through just some of the techniques that exist, and that can greatly help you fight stage fright. None of these techniques can guarantee that you will never have any more jitters, which should not happen indeed. As we have stated at the beginning of the text, stage fright can have a positive impact and stimulate you. These techniques can help you relax and start thinking about a constructive and productive way that is aimed at presenting yourself in the best light of an upcoming event.

For anyone who starts looking for a job, the first or a new one, a profile on LinkedIn can help a lot, but only if it is properly made and visible.

LinkedIn is a global social network intended for business people. In addition to employees, many companies have official pages there, and therefore, in addition to connecting with colleagues and potential employers, you can find useful articles and job ads.

As one of the essential tools in the recruitment process, recruiters often use LinkedIn to search for adequate candidates for specific positions. During a search, they focus on several basic items, and we will present the most important aspects that your profile should cover:

Location: Make sure to set the exact location where you are interested in working, specify the country in which you reside.

Specify the exact job title you currently occupy, but also make a brief description of your most important responsibilities. The same job description is often called differently in different companies, so a job description will help recruiters understand what you do precisely.

Make sure that the name of the position and the period which you spent in each company match the information you have specified in your CV.

When you change your employer or position, change the data in your profile on time so that you do not get accidentally contacted for a workplace from which you progressed further a few years ago.

Specify languages you speak and the approximate level of your knowledge.

Specify keywords such as programs in which you work and skills, both technical or social that you have because these are the keywords that recruiters will use to seek for you.

Additional: Make your profile credible. Leave recommendations for colleagues you collaborate with or had an opportunity to cooperate in the past. Then ask them to write their experience in working with you. A good recommendation on LinkedIn can mean a lot, especially if you were recommended as a competent or diligent colleague and expert.

Show your interest in the area where you want to develop yourself: attend online courses in that area and attach your certificates.

Build your network: Connect with your colleagues, influential people from your industry, but also with people from HR, so you get on their radar.

Write articles and comments, show your knowledge in action, and the more active you are, the sooner you will get noticed by managers who can later offer you cooperation.

Even if you are not actively looking for a job right now, it is good to have an updated and active profile on this social network because when a wish or a need to change it occurs, you will be a step closer to a new offer. On the other hand, it is always good to be open to new opportunities, because there may be an opportunity only one InMail away from you.

The term “ghosting” was connected in the past to the sudden interruption of personal connection – between partners or friends. It represents an act of unannounced and unexpected termination of any contact in person, through a phone or social networks, without any explanation. Another person remains deprived of an explanation, and that reflects on the emotional state of the other side. A person chooses to act in a “ghosting” way in the hope that the other side will understand the hint and desire for termination of relations, without a clear and personal expression of the need for that or an explanation. People who disconnect the relationship tend to avoid emotional discomfort in this way without thinking about how the other side will feel.

Lately, ghosting is increasingly present in the relationship between employers and future employees. An increasing number of candidates avoids informing a future employer that they have changed their mind about a job application. Candidates who are actively seeking jobs, often send their application to a large number of addresses, without examining details about the company or a job ad, sometimes even without seriously considering their intention to change their current job. At the time when there is a call for a job interview, a candidate decides not to answer the phone, hangs up the phone after they hear who calls them, do not show up for an interview, avoid to answer an offer they received or they simply stop coming to their workplace after they have started working.

The right to change opinion is an assertive right of every individual, and especially in the business world, there should be understanding if candidates change their mind and quit. However, modern ways of communication have contributed to the impairment of communication, and sometimes it seems that the cessation of every way of communication is an acceptable form to disclose an unpleasant piece of information to the other side. Many people avoid conflicts naturally, and this seems like an easier way to avoid potentially unpleasant situations.

This phenomenon is most commonly seen with young people, who have less professional experience, and unfortunately, are unaware that such a way of communication leaves a bad impression for future opportunities. Even if you change your mind, it is always good to answer a call and explain the reason, because a changed opinion leaves a better impression than poorly developed communication skills.

Sometimes, as one of the first steps in the selection process, candidates are required to present a motivational letter with their biography. Like its name says, a motivational letter should be in the form of a letter explaining your motivation to apply to that particular position. We are describing a few helpful tips that might help you with this and make your writing easier.

Purpose

A motivational letter serves as a complement to your CV. It allows you to present yourself better to a future employer and to get distinguished among other candidates. Therefore, do not discuss inputs which you already explained in your CV, but use this space to show that you are really interested in a company, as well as a specific job, and also emphasize your successes and achievements that you have not specified in your CV.

Form

A motivational letter should be clear and compact. Make sure everything you have to say fits into one A4 page. Start with “Dear,” and ideally write to (Mr/Mrs/Ms and their last name) a manager of a sector which you are applying for. If you fail to find this information, you can refer to a company or HR team. Write in the first person, formally, but with a tone that calls for future cooperation.

In the first paragraph, introduce yourself and briefly explain your reasons for applying.

Before you write a second paragraph, explore well a company that announced a vacancy and think why you want to work with them. Explain why you believe that position is appropriate for you and what are reasons, objectives, and achievements of a company that made you interested in building your career with them.

In the third paragraph, describe your knowledge and skills, describe them through examples, and clarify to your future employer which qualities you have that can help them. Write about your long-term goals, express enthusiasm for progress, and explain why you are better compared to other candidates.

Always end a letter with a nice greeting and an invitation to a live introduction. In your signature, leave contact information – email and phone number in case they want to contact you.

Before sending, be sure to read the letter and check all spelling errors. Write a letter in a language in which an ad has been published, and before sending it, be sure to save it as a PDF file.