When door to the world of jobs opens up on fresh graduates it seems like heaven has opened its door. The long wait seems to come to an end. After a few months of giving CV’s, facing interviews and passing sleepless nights thinking about the answer from companies, what seemed like a door of heaven now seems like a pit of hell, Depression, anxiety and frustration feels like swarming out of it. At this point of time you genuinely feel like an idiot with a capital I. Multiple thoughts keep on echoing in the head, everyone got the job why not me? Am I this dumb that nobody wants to hire me or it has something to do with my degree, should I have studied something else? Why is this happening to me?
Reason for this dilemma is we are not mentally prepared to face the realities of the job market. Students are enrolled in an institute fed with the information from the textbooks and rolled out just like a batch of chips packs roll out of a factory. They are with an understanding that they will get a job cause of their degree, but what they fail to understand is that what they have to offer to the market is no different than the thousands of others like them. We are not producing graduates which can fulfill the market demands or show a level of professionalism which is being demanded. It’s all about mind setting and grooming one’s skill which is totally neglected at institutional level. It is taught to students again and again that being academically good is important but they are not reminded that they have to be a complete package both in personality and knowledge of their field. The competition factor has risen many folds it is no more about the person who has crunched the maximum on the scorecard but the market requires smart people who are dynamic and flexible for the job they are required to handle. Very few organizations still hire on the academic merits, majority of the organizations ask you to complete a complex hiring process. One has to stand out from others to succeed.
We are made different from each other so is our personalities and skills. One need to point his/her skills and strength and pursue a career likewise, it would not help an applicant if he/she is pushing their luck in something they are not good at. One should enter the job market with clear aims and objectives and it’s a good practice to first explore all the options before sending in your CV’s to the organizations. Understanding the trends of market will not only help applicants to evaluate their position in the job market but clarify the opportunities which match their strengths. Going for the most lucrative job offer in the market and then getting dishearten is not a good practice because that is what everybody else is doing. One need to under understand that degree and education only make us eligible for the job market, getting a job and then performing in it is based on an individual skill and energies.
Few things to keep in mind before you jump into job seeking.
- Set your goals for the job you are seeking.
2. Get know-how of the job you want from the people already in the field.
3. Prepare yourself for the interview, which means you should have updated and adequate knowledge of your field.
4. Experience matters more than the salary, so don’t expect a high payout in the very start of your career.
5. Always plan ahead, don’t just rely on one opportunity.
6. In the process don’t let yourself get lazy, keep doing something, and keep yourself active.
7. Most important of all one has to be smart and hardworking to survive
8. Keep hope, good things come around eventually.
These tips don’t guarantee a job but will prepare you for the one when an opportunity arises on the horizon.
Author’s Bio:
Ahsan Abdullah