Finding work these days – even for an entry level one – is very different than it was a decade or so ago. The job search process is tougher, longer, and with stiffer competition especially in applying for jobs abroad. Here are new realities of job hunting especially if you are applying online for job opportunities in New Zealand.
Degree is not a guarantee.
It used to be that a college diploma in hand was sufficient assurance to land some kind of entry-level position. Today, with millions unemployed and thousands of fresh graduates joining the fray every year, a bachelor’s degree is only one of several factors an employer will consider when assessing your candidacy.
Experience needed.
You often see ads saying, “Fresh graduates welcome to apply.” That may be so, but you have to prove that you are no greenhorn to the work world even barely out of your college uniform. While some New Zealand employment companies take the time to train and ease new workers into their jobs, there is really no such gentle transition from student to worker in this fast-paced age. You have to show how quick you are on the uptake and bring real-world experience to the position.
Tech skills count.
If this were 1985, you could get hired without any technical skills whatsoever. Nowadays, even entry-level aspirants are expected to be able to navigate their way expertly through office applications and the internet, at least.
Soft skills gaining ground.
The more skills you have in your bag of tricks, the greater your chances of being hired, and not just hard skills. The days when brilliant people could be forgiven their eccentricities because they are geniuses in their fields are fading. With so much talent available for the picking, present-time hiring managers are looking for those extra points that do not show up in the transcript: interpersonal skills, leadership qualities, written and oral communication abilities, and problem-solving capabilities.
Changing for the better
With the evolving corporate landscape, it will do you well to keep your job-hunting style up to the times:
- Speak up. If you have poor interpersonal skills, work on them through short-term courses in speech, oral and written communication. Or simply read, read, read and practice, practice, practice on your own with a friend.
- Show sophistication. Assume a professional image always, from your clothes, to your diction and your demeanor. The trick is to look mature and businesslike, not like you just stepped out of college, even though you just did.
- Strut your stuff. Highlight specific school and extracurricular accomplishments, campus activities, practical job and internship experiences and how these will help you in your New Zealand jobs. Emphasize the teamwork spirit, leadership traits, and other soft skills you possess.
- Be a techie, become as computer literate as possible by familiarizing yourself with the most widely used computer applications.
For more fresh jobs for fresh graduates, visit http://www.adecco.co.nz/.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1288913_36.html
