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Try to maintain a healthy relationship with people you have worked with in the past.
Their word will be valued and taken seriously by your prospective employer, advises Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services.
You've spotted a job availability and it looks exactly like something you'd like to do.
You are excited about the opportunity but how do you make sure you get your dream job?
When you go for that interview, how can you present your best possible self to a potential employer?
You may have prepared carefully, customised your resume, gone through the company's press releases, website, social media and more.
You may have felt that the interview went well.
Yet, the final verdict was non-affirmative; you were not selected for the job.
Don't regret the lost opportunity or question your competency.
Instead, look at it as minor speed bump in your career path and turn this loss into your advantage.
Failure, to use that old but apt adage, should be a stepping stone towards success.
Finding the right job is a journey that is often rocky and filled with peaks and valleys.
However, there are a number of steps you can take that will reflect positively on your career trajectory and offer tangible benefits in your job hunt.
Here are a few tips that can play an indispensable role in strengthening your candidature for your dream job.
1. Master your craft
The first and perhaps the most crucial step you must take in order to make headway in your career in this skill-oriented talent market is constant upskilling and reskilling.
Thanks to e-learning platforms, there's no dearth of relevant courses for you to pursue in your respective field.
These courses will help you learn more and stay abreast of the latest trends and insights that are gaining momentum in your specialised areas of interest.
2. Widen your professional network
It pays to know the right people.
A common belief in the professional space is that you are only as successful as the spectrum of success enjoyed by your connections.
Tracking down the right people in your professional domain will help you stay motivated.
Additionally, it will also open up doors that may have been inaccessible to you so far.
3. Work on your references/recommendations
Knowing the right people also reflects on the quality of your references.
The more known and reputed your references are, the more credible your profile becomes.
Try to maintain a healthy relationship with people you have worked with in the past. Their word will be valued and taken seriously by your prospective employer.
4. A cover letter can work wonders
A cover letter is often underrated and overlooked in one's pursuit of a dream job.
However, it must be noted that employers sometimes treat it as a manifesto of your personality that they may not find in other documents like academic certificates, experience letters or resumes.
Carefully articulate your reasons for applying for a particular position through a well-written cover letter that showcases your potential.
5. Learn to curate the right opportunities
Although they may seem relevant or even interesting, not all work opportunities may align with your skill sets and career aspirations.
Know where to draw the line between the opportunities that resonate with you and those that don't.
You might end up saving a ton of energy and resources by skipping a job that was not meant for you in the first place.
6. Hone your behavioural skills
Though they are as popular as soft skills, behavioural skills are not soft skills.
In the rapidly evolving world of work, employers look for professionals who come with behavioural aptitudes like critical thinking, problem solving, interpersonal skills, empathy and more.
In a way, these skills have become non-negotiable and will add tremendous value to your profile when you set out to look for a new job.
7. Don't shy away from mentorship programmes
At the end of the day, we all have a lot to learn. No matter how accomplished we are, there's always someone out there whose knowledge and insights can elevate our skills and personality.
Seek out such people and request them to share their invaluable wisdom so that you can thrive.
8. Be active on professional networking sites
The world of social media is such that if something wasn't posted, it didn't happen.
The same principle applies to professional networking sites.
Working hard is not enough; you have highlight this fact and your achievements on networking sites.
There are plenty of profile optimisation hacks that you can look into to enhance your online persona.
9. Evaluate your skills on the right platforms
You may have taken the relevant courses and acquired a set of skills that can help you propel your career forward but it is not always clear how one can assess these skills in quantifiable terms.
To overcome this challenge, you can take the help of platforms and tools that offer quick and seamless skill assessments to job seekers.
10. Set realistic goals
It's easy to aspire for excellence and quick growth in one's career. However, do not feel dejected by negative responses from recruiters and hiring managers.
Be clear about your target and set goals that are aspirational but not unattainable.
A leap can only take you so far, so learn to be happy with where you are.
Keep working on your skills and your professional scenario will only get better and better.
Sachin Alug is the CEO of NLB Services, a talent solutions company.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
