Things can get pretty tough when you’re looking for a job. That’s especially true when you’re in a point in time where unemployment rates are high and there aren’t enough jobs to match your skill set and preferences. Despite apparent difficulties though, you can still manage to put yourself at an advantage over other applicants when you’re job hunting if you develop five key qualities in yourself.
Perseverance
To persevere means to never give up even in the face of insurmountable odds. It’s obvious why you should have this trait if you want to get a job. Good jobs are hard to come by and when these come along, you’d have to compete against hundreds of other qualified applicants. If you give up after several failed attempts, you’ll never get anywhere. Keep in mind that job opportunities rarely approach you. You have to be the one to go out and chase after them so don’t stop.
Resourcefulness
Applicants these days are pretty lucky because there are now so many ways to look for jobs. In the old days, applicants had to physically scout for jobs. Today, you can just go online and send applications through email. This doesn’t mean though that the old ways are now no longer applicable. If you can’t find a job online, get up from your seat and scour public employment offices, newspapers and streets to look for more opportunities. If you’re at home doing nothing, why don’t you jog around town. You’ll be surprised to see lots of job postings scattered everywhere.
Tirelessness
When I say be tireless, I mean have the state of mind or attitude that is the opposite of being lazy. If a company does not post its email address online for job applicants to submit to, that might mean they want their applicants to personally hand over their applications. Don’t let the effort of commuting throw you down. Get up and march over to that office you want to get a job in. In the same vein, don’t be too lazy to pick up the phone or send an email if you want to ask a hiring company some questions.
Mindfulness
Being mindful is the closest synonym I could find to being in a state of self-awareness. By this I mean it’s important that you know who you are, what your skills are and where you fit best. This will keep you grounded and cognizant of which job opportunities are a good match for you. This will prevent your having to experience disappointments over not being hired for jobs that you can’t do as well as someone else might.
Prudence
Add to this quality the related term cautiousness. In the digital age, these traits are more vital than ever. Anyone can post anything online today, even fake companies and social predators. Even if an online service moderates posts, take the time to validate job postings directly with the companies that have posted them if you are not familiar with the hiring company or if they’re using unofficial email addresses. Pick up the phone and call them to ask about the job.
Let me throw in two more tips on applying for a job safely. First, for overseas employment opportunities make sure the agency that’s hiring is accredited by the POEA. Second, do not leave your number and address for public view online. You are leaving yourself accessible and vulnerable to people who might take advantage of you.
These are just five of the most important qualities I think every job applicant should have. Of course, there are a couple more traits that might help you along the way. Develop these five in you first though and you’ll be ready to weather the challenging road of job hunting ahead of you.
Why companies don’t give chances to people even if it is on their field of expertise. Workers from other companies are jumping to another for work while others can not compete. then we know they could the number 1 to be hired why not giving some people for a chance to work to prove its interest and dedication. for we know practice makes man work perfect so people will start helping people and build people. In god we trust god bless us all.
Well, this is a competitive world we are living in. If you are a fresh graduate, and find it hard to get a job, just be positive about every opportunity that comes your way. I don’t think it is fair to blame the companies if they hire people who think would be beneficial for their companies, like I said we are living in competitive times, not just for employees or job hunters, but also for companies too.
I do agree with the qualities this blog has presented. It can give you an edge over other applicants.
i believe companies do hire applicants with their expertise field base on how they understand or react with there work environment.
All the qualities mentioned above boils down to having the initiative to fulfill the job description needed. Nice read. This is very helpful to everyone.
why is that when we want to apply in an office/whether it is a government or a private company,. there is always a so-called “backer na ang style karon”. ? just wondering…
Hi Sumeragi. This isn’t always the case but where this is the case, you can blame it on the culture of nepotism that we seem to love to cultivate. This is not something new. In our country, this has been the case since time immemorial. I’ve been in the workforce for more than a decade and when I was a young applicant, this practice was already in place. You can’t blame it on the companies alone because we have all been taught growing up to always put family members and friends first. If you one day find yourself promoted as a manager, maybe you will encounter the same situation. What will you do if a cousin or best friend applies in your company? Will you give him preferential treatment too?
In short, to be able to change this practice, we need to change ourselves, our culture, our values. Clearly, this will take a lot of time and effort.
As a newbie in the employment world, I really find it harsh in a good way. I learned to be strong because I need to survive to belong and fit in this ever competitive world. I think I already developed those qualities mentioned though I think it’s not yet my time to show off my capabilities. Nevertheless, I really hope employers would take notice of me and give me that chance to show them I am worth to be employed and be a part of their work force and become a valuable asset given the time and the right training.
Hi guys.. I just recently had an interview and the HR just said that they are just going to keep in touch, call or text me about the result.
Does that mean i didn’t pass the interview?
Okkin. That does not necessarily mean you didn’t pass. Many employers do not hire on the spot. They need time to evaluate all the candidates to find out who’s the best among all who applied. 🙂
I used to be an HR associate some 6 years ago, and yes Okkin without elaborating any further you didn’t pass the interview. It’s a “script or a spiel” any HR personnel would say to unqualified applicants after thorough interviews, HR personnels are not allowed to say in your face plainly and boldly that you didn’t qualify and that you suck during the interview..but this is the closest vibe of telling you that.
A Job Seeker must have these qualities. From my experience, HR people would tend to find these qualities base on your resume contents,interview session and if you’re in training already.
This post is very helpful to job seekers. Keep it up!
is it okey if i’m always asking updates on the result of my interview and exam to the company that i’ve applied?
It’s not okey, as an HR associate..it really pisses me off everytime applicants do so, as if they’re the only applicant who took the exam and interviews. you might as well just wait, anyway if you did pass we’ll contact you as soon as possible..but until then you wait.
FINDING A JOB ESPECIALLY IN THE GOVERNMENT,USUALLY WHOM YOU KNOW LESS WHAT YOU KNOW…