The first mistake most applicants make is that they don’t approach the application process seriously enough. Just how competitive is it out there? According to Ruchi Mathur, AVP of HR at Zensar technologies, an IT firm with about 6,000 employees, the company receives 1,000 applications every week from freshers or applicants with less than two years of work experience. “We receive 20-25 CVs a day and maybe read just one of them,” says Anuja Kishore, HR Manager, Teach For India, a leading educational non-profit group. Thus, you should figure out why you really want the job, and what are the reasons that make you eligible for this job.
Every job posting calls for a unique set of skills and qualifications, and a candidate needs to be intimately familiar with these in order to write a good application. First, suggests Kishore, conduct online research about interesting opportunities. Second, speak to as many people as possible; cousins, friends, brothers and sisters. But don’t approach them to get a job; approach them to learn what it is to do a job in those companies, the day-to-day functioning. Understand different job roles in the market, understand what would excite you.
Once you’ve done all the independent research you can, don’t be afraid to ring the companies themselves to answer your lingering questions. “Applicants think it’s a bad thing to bother HR before you apply, but actually, it shows initiative and commitment,” says Kishore. “Nobody minds answering your questions. It may take a while but just persevere.”
Kishore comments, “We see candidates who respond to the competition by applying to a hundred jobs. This doesn’t increase their chances. We recognise these applications immediately and discard them.”
Once you’ve done your research and have a strong understanding of what each job would be like on a day-to-day basis, it’s time for a thorough introspection. Understand your strengths and development areas, and honestly ask whether you have what the company is looking for. Try not to get obsessed with the idea of working at a firm because of its name, and focus on what the job would be like – is it all writing? Coding? Sales calls? Picture yourself in the job. Apply to the ones that you can see yourself in. Ten is a better number than one hundred.
A career isn’t a race, and you neither can nor should expect to reach your goal quickly. If you’re not yet a competitive candidate, then take steps to build your experience. Kishore suggests, “Join a start-up or a smaller company initially. You’ll get a more diverse experience in diff erent areas, which will help build your CV.”
Today, it’s remarkably easy to show rather than tell what you can do. If you’re a programmer, then do a few side projects to show your skills. If you are a strong writer, keep a blog. This shows HR managers that you are a self-motivated person too. Also, odds are that hiring managers will search for your online footprint. A LinkedIn search might throw up six people who have the same name as you. Proactively producing online content will ensure that your online footprint stands out rather than blending in. Try and maintain a clean online presence if you happen to be a Facebook or Twitter user. In fact, if used correctly, these social media networks can also be used to your advantage. For instance, daily posts on Twitter have almost become the norm for most companies who wish to be in touch with their customers, and more importantly, to showcase their latest offerings. You too can market yourself as a brand.
Your application should include a one-page CV (or two at the most, if you have over five years of experience). Include a “short cover letter explaining your interest in the role and why you see a match between your skills and the job,” says Mathur.
Kishore adds, “You have about 30 seconds to impress me; if I don’t find anything exciting it goes into my trash bin. Yesterday, I saw one [fresher application] that had mentioned skills in blue, experiences in red, and very humbly mentioned how he could contribute. Even though we wanted two years of experience, I couldn’t stop myself from calling him.”
Using colours is not the important lesson. The key is to know exactly what information is most critical to the person reading your application – preferably just a few essential sentences – and to make it as easy as possible for the reader to absorb that information. Wordiness, grammar problems and spelling errors are great ways to distract your reader – avoid them. If English is not your strong suit, then keep your language as simple as possible, and have a strong English speaker review your writing.
Even if you do everything right, the numbers are still stacked against you and you might not get the job. Demonstrate the willingness to do an internship or trial period, if you are hell-bent on working for a particular company. Or in the case of a non-profit, offer to volunteer. This flexibility shows you’re committed to this job and also that you are confident enough in your skills to take the risk that they won’t ultimately hire you. You will also be able to garner a good deal of work experience during this time.
Most young candidates have grown up on Facebook, where the communication style is casual. People jump straight into a message with a cursory “hey man” or sometimes, without any introduction at all, go on to use modified word forms like “plz” (please), “thxx” (thank you) and “yaaa” (yes). Keep these words on Facebook and out of your application process. If you do get a phone call, chances are that the HR manager you’re speaking to is a few years older and will expect a level of formality in your communications, so don’t talk to him or her like one of your buddies. It’s always better to err on the formal side.
There are a few characteristics that are critical to a first job. These concepts apply to many but not all college graduates. Those pursuing medical or law degrees are excluded as they have a more prescribed path than the rest of us. These guidelines may also not apply to the exceptionally gifted – such as those who would impress the likes of Simon Cowell, or those who could create a search engine better than Google. Without much ado – the fi ve criteria, in order of importance are:
Surround yourself with intelligent, competent and experienced professionals. Your co-workers are your primary source of enrichment, professionally and personally, and will dictate the quality of your experience. To be precise, we’re talking about the people whom you work with everyday. The head of your business unit may be the best in the company, but your boss and the immediate team are the ones who will matter most.
Find an organisation that is ready to give you responsibility for important deliverables and hold you accountable for the results. In many cases, the leanest (ie most resource-efficient) organisations are the best at pushing responsibilities down the hierarchy to junior employees. What and how much you learn will be a direct function of what is asked and required of you.
Work in an organisation geared to transfer knowledge and skills to young employees. It’s no coincidence that consulting firms and investment banks are a perennial force in undergraduate recruitment. They know the potential of entry-level talent and their business models hinge on their ability to bring it out, which they do in a deliberate manner.
A strong brand on your CV can vouch for the skills listed underneath it. When you say, “Conducted a market sizing for a new detergent product” – that means something very different at Proctor & Gamble than it does at ABC Laundry Business. Once you’re at an interview, you’ll have the chance to explain in great detail how rigorous your assessment was, but first, your CV has to get you into the interview. (The other way to get an interview is your network. See no 1: Colleagues).
Without this, the guidelines would be incomplete, and this is by no means the least important criteria. Your early 20s are your prime opportunity to pursue your dreams. Some of the most interesting, intelligent and happy people there are have done things such as dropping out of a Physics PhD and moving to South America to pursue their passion for mountaineering and travel. If you can incorporate the above into following your dreams, great. If not, chase them anyway – you won’t have a better chance.
Volume1 Issue 3
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