Job Hunting: 10 tips learned from 10 tough lessons

So, I’m one of those rare creatures who have worked for one company for more than a decade. There’s a lot of advantages to that, but there’s one notable downside: When I finally hit the job boards after more than a decade at my job, I was hopelessly rusty and  clueless about the dos and don’ts of a job search. My resume was not in shape, I wasn’t sure what to say during interviews and since the only time I applied for a job was during the days when LinkedIn and “job boards” were non-existent, I had to level up quickly to the digital world.

But this is not a post about how to optimise your LinkedIn profile (though that’s really important) or write the right resume. Instead, it’s about the unspoken “rules” about the job hunt.

I learned some tough lessons when I was trying to change careers and hunt for a job outside my field (journalism). Some of these lessons are from personal experience, others are tips from recruiters and friends. I hope you will find these helpful.

1. Be discerning. Don’t accept the first job that comes your way

I hesitate to include this in the post, due to the fact that it is 2021, and these are some of the toughest times there is to get a job. But fit is really important. A blogger I followed once put it this way - “choose a job where the parts of the job that you have to tolerate are tolerable”.

As hard as it is, choose a job that is best suited to your personality and needs, that is not toxic, and where you feel you can contribute. Ask yourself: Can you stay at the job long term? You don’t want to say yes to a job only to be miserable and quit soon after. Please trust me that a toxic job could cost you more than the money it’ll bring you in the long run.

2. A recipe for stress: scheduling interviews too close together

Believe it or not, there was a time when I had 6 interviews in two weeks. Two weeks! That meant I had interviews every other day. Sometimes I even had interviews back to back on the same day! It was nerve wrecking and absolutely exhausting. 

Interviews take a psychic toll on you. You have to sell yourself, then be grilled about why you’re applying for the role and why you should be picked for it. I don’t know about you, but my nerves are often shot after a job interview.

Scheduling interviews so close together also doesn’t give you enough time to research the company or prepare for the interview. Therefore, when you get picked for a job interview, take a deep breath, look at your calendar and don’t overcommit. And if you’re lucky enough to get multiple interview opportunities at once, be sure to space them out in such a way that you’ll be prepared for all of them.  

3. Even if the offer sucks, be polite and professional

So, you finally get the letter of offer … and you’re shocked. No matter how much you’re tempted to, no matter how insulted you feel, DO NOT tell them that their offer sucks! 

You want to keep the door open to that employer. Who knows you might be offered a freelancing opportunity? Who knows that they may like you so much that they recommend you to another position in the company or to another company?

So, be professional and say thank you for the offer, but you can’t accept it right now. The end. Walk away.

4. Thoroughly research the company 

It’s extremely important to find out about the company before you accept a job offer. Is it reputable? Is it even legit? How is it doing, financially? Imagine joining the company only to get laid off soon after. Or worse, that it's actually a scammy, money game outfit. It happens, sadly.

Also, read Glassdoor or Jobstreet reviews to see what ex-employees are saying about the company. Does the company treat its employees well? We do need to take these reviews with a pinch of salt, true, but if there’s a common thread running through the reviews, perhaps there’s something there. I even go a step further by contacting ex-employees of the company. Some may tight-lipped about the company … again, perhaps there’s something there too.

Do you think you can fit into the company culture? Check out the company’s social media accounts or those of employees’ to gauge if it’s a friendly work culture. Look at their website to find out if the company’s values, goals and vision aligns with yours. 

Essentially, know what you’re getting into.  

6. Don’t send your CV to a recruiter without meeting them

I didn’t know that this was a no-no, but my recruiter friend gasped in horror when I told her how a headhunter just grabbed my resume without meeting me. Recruiters trawl LinkedIn to find candidates for their clients. You may feel terribly flattered to even be considered by one of them. But before you submit your CV, ask to meet the recruiter, said that headhunter friend of mine. Find out about the company she or he is recommending you for. If she refuses to disclose it, tell her that you’d like to be sure that you’re a good fit for the company. Then, find out about the role. Ask for a job description.  

Once you find out about the company and role, be sure to research the company to see if it suits you. Don’t rush the process no matter how much the recruiter pressurises you to. 

Unfortunately, there are many bad, unethical headhunters around. Remember, recruiters are paid a commission by their clients and may not have your best interests at heart. 

7. Don’t rush the process or let yourself be rushed

I once had this strange period where I went for three job interviews … and was given a job offer on the same day for all three jobs! This totally discombobulated me as I wasn’t prepared for it. In my experience, the entire process (between the interview and the job offer) would take at least one to two weeks. So, I usually used that time to mull over whether I should accept the offer or not.

So, back to those offers. I was given a verbal job offer by the three companies. I stammered thanks. And a day or two later, I had three offer letters in my inbox and only two days to accept each offer. 

A wonderful, envious position to be in, I suppose, but an utterly stressful one. Try making a life-changing decision in two days!

It’s best to tell the hiring manager/recruiter that you really need time to think about the offer from the start. For example, when you’re given the verbal job offer, ask them how many days will you be given to consider the offer. 

If you think that their deadline is far too short, ask for an extension, saying that you’d like to make the best decision you can and that you need to consult your family and that would take time. You don’t want to make a hasty, snap decision that both sides will regret! 

8. Consider the commute before you apply

So, where’s the new job? Are you willing to battle heavy traffic or spend hours travelling to and fro to work? How much will your commute cost you? Are you willing to move to a new location? Can you even move?

Would you be willing, for example, to spend 1.5 hours one way travelling to it via public transport? If you have to work late hours at the new job, a long commute via public transport would not be ideal.

9. Know your true value

Know what you’re worth. Visit Jobstreet and check out what they’re paying for roles that you’re looking for or what’s the current market rate. Only take a pay cut if you think it’s worth it. For example, if the job offers great benefits such as flexible hours or a chance to work from home or pays for education expenses. For example, I had friends who took drastic pay cuts when they left their corporate jobs to teach at international schools. Why? Because the school gave their children a chance to study there at deeply discounted rates.

During pandemic times, is it even reasonable to expect a salary that is fit for you? A lot of recruiters advise that you should be more realistic and accept a lower pay or something below your expectations. I think this is a situation where it’s very personal. Be realistic, yes, but again, know what you’re worth.

10. Beware the unicorn job

It’s getting distressingly common these days. Job ads that require you to be bilingual (trilingual an advantage) and demand so many skillsets that you are essential a one-man team rather than a person in a team. I call these jobs “unicorn jobs”, because they are looking for mythical creatures. Many companies seem to think that squeezing the job scope of a team into one, presumably cost-effective package seems to be a good idea. Spoiler alert: These people don’t exist.

Where does it leave you, job hunter? I would say, be careful of these jobs. The employer may have unreasonable demands, but they expect you to fulfil them once you accept the job. These jobs are not good for your mental health. They will burn you out quicker than you can blink.

Bonus tip: Clean up your social media!

Trust me, your potential employer is Googling you. If your social media or blogs are littered with inappropriate remarks, photographs etc, it’s time to spring clean! Also, please don’t do that again.

If you have any tips to share about the job search - do share them in the comments below :)

This article was originally published on elizabethtai.com.