ASK AUNTY
JUDY
y o u r
p r e s s i n g
q u e s t i o n s
a n s w e r e d
Dear Aunty Judy,
I completed my national service 2 years ago and have been an
unemployed graduate ever since. I have applied for multiple
jobs, redesigned my CV several times, worked on my
interview skills and still no job offer on the table. I am
depressed and confused now. Any advice on what else i
should do to get a job?
Recent Graduate
Dear Aunty Judy,
I have been hearing the term ‘dress for
success’ and to be honest, I think my
dressing doesn’t match up. I am about
to complete tertiary and don’t want to
be derailed in my career because of
bad dressing. Any fashion tips for a
lady on a tight budget?
Grace A.
Hello Recent Graduate,
I understand your situation and empathize with you because it’s not easy
to stay at home without a job. However, I need to understand some
things.
Since you redesigned your CV, have you had any calls for interviews? If
the answer is no, then it means your CV is still not passing the initial test.
Nowadays, due to modern trends and automation, hiring managers and
recruiters use an Applicant Tracking System ( ATS) to sift out CVS. This
is a software that is programmed to select CVs which contains some
keywords. If your CV does not have the keywords the advertised role is
looking for, your CV will not get past the ATS! Also, maybe the format of
your CV is not what it should be. I don’t know if you used a professional
CV writer but you can use www.topresume.com to get a free CV critique
done where a professional will point out the flaws with your CV and give
you pointers how to update it.
If you have had calls for interviews and do not make it past the interviews,
then we can work on developing your interview skills. Try reading articles
on current interviewing trends and know what not to do in interviews.
I would also suggest that you network extensively as this will increase
your chances of landing a job faster than applying for jobs on jobs portals.
Tell people you know that you are looking for a job, create a Linkedin
profile and keep it updated and professional. Try to follow people on
LinkedIn from whom you can learn a lot and get recommendations to
greatly increase your chances.
Job hunting is very difficult but don’t give up hope, keep learning and in
no time the right doors will open. All the best!
Dear Grace,
It’s true to some extent the statement
you made. How you are dressed is the
first thing people will notice about you.
When I was fresh out of university and
started job searching, a lady told me I
wasn’t dressed for the role! I felt bad
then but I resolved to learn from the
experience. Invest in some good
professional looking shirts, skirts and
a suit.
Even if you are able to afford just one
suit, buy some nice shirts or tops you
could wear with it for interviews. In the
professional world, less is definitely
better than more so don’t be overly
concerned about makeup and
aesthetics. You can acquire some
basic makeup skills by watching
Youtube videos and that should be ok.
Focus on developing yourself and
looking smart and professional and
you will be just fine. All the best!