How to ease your job search stress

KUWAIT: If you want to talk about ghosting, talk about jobs you applied for and never got accepted nor rejected by the employer...not cool. You’re putting in so much effort in your quest to find a job, where’s your Return on Investment?

The job market can definitely be competitive, job seekers need to try as hard as they can to stand out from amongst all the others in the oversaturated job market. You can’t just click that “submit application” button for any job vacancy you see, hope for the best, and then get disappointed when they leave your application at the “seen” stage. You’ll need to approach your job search in a strategic way that can increase the chances of securing a job that actually suits you.

Luckily, Bayt.com is committed to help job seekers to search, find and select the right job for them. So, here are a few points that you should note down, as it can help you with your job search and polishing your image in the eyes of employers.

Here are some things you might be doing wrong and that you should remedy at the soonest:

Network the right way

Now, it is true that you should try and inform everyone around you that you are actively looking for a job. But, you should definitely focus on connecting with professionals who have some sort of connection within the industry or company that you are seeking to get into, because they can act as a direct link between you and the employer. Don’t expect your hairdresser to help you find a job at a law firm. Try online networking through “Bayt.com People,” where you can connect with people who share your interests. Click here to start building your network.

Tip: always try to give your contacts accurate information about yourself and the job that you are pursuing, in order for them to appropriately refer you to an employer that is worth considering.

Use social media to your advantage

Do you even exist online if you don’t have social media? There are many uses to social media, other than stalking people, obviously. Social media can act as a job searching tool, a networking tool, and a way for potential employers to know more about you; the candidate. Tip: many employers go the extra mile and use social media to vet applicants, so you should consider adjusting your accounts and making them more employer-friendly, as to portray your professionalism.

Don’t only look to work for the big ones

A lot of job seekers have the misconception that the best way to “make it” in their careers is to work at a large reputable company. Okay, everyone gets it, you want live large and drive a foreign. Who doesn’t? But that doesn’t mean that it’s the only way to become successful in your career.

All job seekers, especially fresh graduates, should consider working at a small-medium enterprise (SME) or a startup, as they usually give employees more opportunity to develop their skills and qualifications by simply pushing them in the deep end. Working at a SME, there’s a high chance that you’ll have a greater amount of responsibilities than at a larger organization. This can give you a chance to genuinely make an impression at the company, as well as have a great looking list of responsibilities on your CV.

Similarly, work at a small company or a startup tends to be more varied, which can give the employees the chance to recognize where their true strengths are, as well as highlighting certain areas where their skills still need to be developed.

There is a possibility that you might be given a heavy load of work from the get go. And you also might be expected to know things that you don’t. But, this doesn’t mean you can’t learn.

Tip: You have to realize that not all companies advertise their job vacancies, so you should consider applying using a speculative approach, where you’ll need to proactively contact employers and ask about potential vacancies. At the same time, keep your Bayt.com profile fresh and complete so that you appear in employer searches for unannounced jobs.

Narrow down your search

Wait, take a step back before you start going at it with your job search, and try to reflect on what you’re really looking for. What do you want in a job? Do you want a similar job to the one you currently have or do you want to change your career path all together? What are your goals? Are you looking for your first job?

You should try to dig deep and ask yourself these types of questions, you can hopefully have a better understanding of what type of jobs you should target. Rather than wasting your time and effort by just applying to as many jobs as possible, regardless of the role, as to increase the chances of getting hired. It doesn’t work that way.

Sign up on bayt.com and use advanced search tools to tailor your job search. By using Bayt.com to search for jobs, you will have the ability to filter through thousands of jobs within the MENA region by applying appropriate filters such as job role, location, specialty, etc. Also, you can take advantage of Bayt.com’s “Job Search Strategy Workshops” that can help you in searching, selecting and applying to the jobs that best fit you.

Also, if you’re looking for a job that is within a certain pay range, you can use Bayt Salaries to find what kind of job best suits your financial needs and interests.

Finally, not hearing back from employers can certainly be frustrating, as well as demotivating for job seekers to continue their job hunt. But, you should know that it’s all part of the process. It’s a given, even if you have a strong background, and you’re a “class A” people pleaser, you can’t always impress everyone. You have to recognize that your job search can take a while, but everyone has a path to follow in life and it might take time to find it.