We all know what it is like trying (and failing) to land the job dreams are made of. Often, it is because you care so much that things don’t quite go to plan. Caring so much can make you nervous, or make you forget your good points and what you should be doing, how you should be behaving in the interview and so on. But it can also be a case of forgetfulness; maybe you have forgotten about some of the essential things which you need to get right in order to maximize your chances of landing a job.
With that in mind, let’s go through some of the essential qualities which you will need to nail that dream job:
Suitability
If you find that you are routinely being turned down for jobs, then you might want to consider the possibility that you are just not suited for that role. Too often, people waste far too much time trying to secure roles which aren’t in their nature. This typically happens when you are trying to get a job to please others, such as a parent or grandparent.
If you think about it, there is little point in doing this; all you are doing is wasting precious time and energy trying to land a job which isn’t really suited to you and so probably wouldn’t be enjoyable anyway.
Instead, make sure you respect yourself enough to know when a job just isn’t right for you. That way, you will save yourself a lot of hassle in the long run — and will be much more likely to end up with a job you truly love.
Presentation
It is shocking how many people fail to properly present themselves when they are going in for job interviews and the like. Presentation is by no means everything, but you do need to make sure you are presenting yourself as well as possible if you want to increase your chances of success. After all, if it comes down to you and one other candidate, and you are equally matched, except that they looked more put together during the interview, then in all likelihood you are out of the running.
It can often be your presentation alone that makes or breaks your chances of success. Make sure you are giving yourself every chance you can.
Qualifications
To ensure you are as well suited to the role of your dreams as possible, you need to be as qualified as you possibly can. Often, this will be clear if you keep getting turned down for that first or second interview.
If you feel that you are probably under qualified and you want to get more resume points but you don’t know how, there are actually plenty of options available to you. You could go online, for a start — there are plenty of opportunities for getting qualifications online, and you should be able to find something that suits whatever you are going for. Whether it’s an online psychology bachelor’s degree or even a law qualification, you are bound to find it somewhere.
Alternatively, you might consider taking an evening class at a local college or another similar institution. However you do it, getting the relevant qualifications is always easier than you think, and it will probably help you massively in your job search.
Attitude
The moment you walk in the room, generally your interviewers will know what kind of an attitude you are bringing with you. It is something which emanates unconsciously, and it doesn’t matter how much you try to cover it up, it is still there. The only solution here, then, is to forcibly change your bad attitude into a more positive one. For that, you will need to look at what’s causing the poor attitude. If it is that you are simply not that interested, then a change of career might be the best solution. Whatever it is, changing your attitude is often going to make a huge difference to how successful you are in the long run.
Patience
Finally, it is worth remembering that getting a job — especially the job of your dreams — can take a long time. It is likely that there will be pitfalls and small failures along the way, and that is just part of the process. But as long as you have the bravery to be patient, you should find that you eventually get the success you are looking for.
Do you already have your dream job? If so, how did you get it? Let us know in the comments below!
*This article was contributed.
