Graduation is a time for celebration. You’re done with textbooks and exams and are ready to walk the first step in your much anticipated professional journey. Graduation may be a relief, but it also induces stress resulting from uncertainty about which career path to embark on, the pressure to
land a job you love, and even the fear of remaining unemployed for a while.
There’s no doubt about it – competition out there is fierce, but the good news is that
67% of employers in the MENA region are planning to hire in 2013, based on Bayt.com’s Middle East Job Index Survey (January 2013). With some seniors walking across the graduation stage soon, we give tips for soon-to-be grads entering the job market.
Set up a plan before you graduate
Seniors will have much more success if they start early. To stand out from the stampede of fellow students set to enter the market at the same time, you should start your job hunt long before graduation, as many companies are identifying top entry-level talent very early on.
Before applying to any job, students should review their CV, hone their interpersonal skills, and tailor their experience and accomplishments to a specific posting.
Here are six basic steps that new graduates can take to enter the job market:
1. Clean up your digital footprint
Make sure your online presence is professional. Get rid of those incriminating photos and ranting blog entries. Employers will Google you, so it’s best to be prepared. Make sure you have a
Public Profile on Bayt.com and that it is polished and up-to-date.
Public Profiles are your unique professional identity on the web and will help you stand out from the crowd.
2. Brush up your CV
Your CV should be
truthful, simple and professional. Fresh graduates are encouraged to bring their education into focus and include relevant courses, extracurricular activities, any
volunteering work you’ve done, scholarships, internships, dissertations, awards, honors, and GPA (if it’s impressive).
You could also include links to multimedia samples of your work, a
cover letter, and a
professional video CV to help you stand out from the crowd.
3. Ask for an informational interview
An
informational interview is just a fancy term for something that smart job seekers do when they want to get their foot in the door of a specific field. Informational interviews involve connecting with someone at a company you'd like to learn more about, and making an appointment to talk about careers at that firm. It's easy to set up, and will give you an instant advantage over other entry-level jobseekers.
4. Meet people
Most students aren’t thinking about networking, but that's exactly what you should be doing before you graduate. Many universities have strong alumni networks that students can tap into, and many departments offer opportunities to meet professionals in the community who are working in that field. Many universities across the region hold
career fairs for their students on a regular basis to meet and chat with potential employers. Get out and shake hands. Get advice on the profession you’re interested in and ask questions to get tips on how to best position yourself. Don’t be fooled by the time of year – networking is a 24/7 skill and the sooner you start the better.
5. Know how to talk about yourself
Employers have made it clear: what they are looking for go well beyond degrees and relevant experience. In fact, 50% of employers across the Middle East are looking for candidates who are
cooperative, helpful, and flexible. Regardless of the industry or company size, employers in the MENA region are looking for trustworthy team players with
good communication skills in English and Arabic, and ones who can lead and manage teams. So, hone your transferable skills and now how to answer all those daunting interview questions. Be confident in your response, and don't be afraid to say what you want out of a career. And, don’t forget to follow up and send your interviewer a
thank you letter that shows your interest in the job you’ve applied for.
6. Nail the interview process
Even before you apply for your first job, find out what a professional job interview will look like. Talk to professionals that you network with to see what
questions you should expect to be asked, and practice your answers. Have a friend mock interview you so you can get your nervous tics out and learn to smoothly answer questions. And, remember that
interviews are all about first impressions, so make yours count, and make a list of these
five things that recruiters will be looking at while interviewing you.
Have you read the above but still don’t know where to start? Here are more tips on
how to land your dream job in MENA.
Got questions? Please don’t hesitate to write your question in the comment box below, I’ll be more than happy to help!
(Photo by Will Folsom on Flickr)
