This guide breaks down the job hunt into actionable steps, from polishing your social media presence to nailing the interview. Whether you're a fresh graduate or a career changer, discover how to stand out in a competitive market and secure the role you deserve.
You’ve honed your skills—now it’s time to land your dream job. But in today’s competitive market, a stellar CV and sharp interview skills aren’t enough. Here’s how to stand out and get hired faster.
Here’s How to Stand Out
Job hunting is like dating—you’re both swiping for the perfect match. Employers want someone who aligns with their goals, and you want a role that fuels your growth. Here’s how to make them ‘swipe right’ on your application. What the hiring managers do is that they release adverts on different platforms looking for a promising partner, and you are one of many single people wanting to get their attention.
Where to Find Job Listings
You start searching for your future partner by going to online dating platforms such as GoZambiaJobs.com, JobZambia.com or other sites similar to them. You type in your field of interest, and the search engine brings out a long list of future partners looking for someone just like you. You might also go on Facebook, LinkedIn, and even Twitter to look for job ads in the field of work you’re looking to jump into, because the internet is always listening to what you’re looking for. It helps you out.
Your social media footprint should also be clean, as in, nothing that will make you look like a troublemaker, sharing explicit material or someone who uses unfiltered vocabulary – make your socials spotless. Let’s look at some of the platforms:
- Facebook – A major social media platform in Zambia, if you want to find out about anything and anyone, this is your destination. Companies have also realised this and use it to promote their ads to thousands of users. Do not underestimate this platform! I got a job by coming upon a company’s ad on this very platform.
- LinkedIn – Your profile photo should look professional. Turn on LinkedIn’s ‘Open to Work’ banner—it’s a magnet for recruiters. Your profile isn’t just a digital CV; it’s your branding tool. Make your ‘about info’ into a summary of your achievements and experiences. This platform is your resume; it’s what it’s all about. LinkedIn helps you tick every box of your past education and skills, and fill in every detail where appropriate. Connect with people in your field of expertise, whose posts are shares and reposts about work they are engaging in and jobs with open positions. When you notice a job opening, research who works there and find out about them, connect with them/follow them, whether directly or indirectly, by engaging with their posts in a friendly manner. Sometimes it’s not about the job description but about connecting with people. Don’t just click that quick apply; engage with them.
- Twitter – Occasionally, the algorithm highlights individuals seeking employees. As long as your location and interest are indicated, you will be flooded with topics happening around your location. I got work as a volunteer because someone I didn’t even follow posted about needing volunteers in my specific field – the internet listens!
How to Tailor Your CV for Every Job Application
Now that you have clicked on that advert, it takes you to your future employer’s profile. Do not skim through their job descriptions; every word must be sacred to you. They want someone dependable, someone who knows what their goals and vision are and can help them deliver.
Here’s the golden rule: Tailor your CV like a bespoke suit. Ditch generic bullet points—only include what’s relevant to the job description. Recruiters skim in seconds; make every word count. Let’s go through the different types of academic documents:
- CVs (Curriculum vitae) – This is a detailed description of your education, experiences, achievements, soft and hard skills, languages, contact and personal details, it can be 2 plus pages long.
- Resume – This is a summarised version of a CV, very simple, but highlights the major milestones of your experiences and past careers. Keep it to 1 page, simple.
- Cover letter – This is your letter explaining why they must hire you specifically for that job. What are you bringing to the table that other candidates don’t have?
After sending out those documents, start talking to your friends and family, and ask them if there are any companies out there looking for people like you. Your friends are an asset; they know people who might want you, ask, and you shall receive.
Then the waiting game begins. In this phase, don’t crash out, don’t get desperate; they’re reading you, deciding if they should meet up with you at all. Some have already discarded your CV, not because they don’t want you, but because you’re not the right fit for them, and that’s okay; the right one will come along.
Why Over-Preparation Wins
Then the email comes through, they would like to meet you in person and get to know you better. You’ve landed the interview—congrats! But don’t get complacent. Over 50% of candidates blow it by under-preparing. Here’s how to avoid that trap.
It’s time to research the company even further, check their mission statement and what they’re about, who they are and what you would expect to hear from them on the date. Prepare your answers, you know the famous “Tell us about yourself” is coming, so be prepared. Search for how to present yourself in an interview; YouTube is great for this. Search for how to answer the questions and the questions that you would likely expect from them.
Practice the answers until they flow out of your mouth, but above all things, make sure to be honest and make sure it’s not about you, it’s about them. Every answer should be tailored to their workspace and how you can fit right into the engines of their machines to function properly. Don’t think overpreparing is cheap and too rehearsed to be authentic. Overpreparing shows that you are a professional and you care about them and their time.
How to Impress (Without Sounding Rehearsed)
The day of the date arrives, you show up dressed smart or smart casual in a room of 5 to 2, or just one person. Remember, they want you to do well, so relax; they want you to get the job. They know the interview process can be stressful for candidates, so just know that they mean well.
When they fire questions at you, pause, breathe, and structure your answer. A well-delivered response beats a rushed one every time. When asked if you have any questions for them, ask questions about them! Don’t say you don’t have any.
Do you know what they expect from you, how you can be a better part of their system to make the workflow better and not just exist for a monthly payment? If not, then prepare your questions!
Remember, you’re there to learn, yes, and to earn, but above all, to learn more skills and upskill.
OFF THE MARKET
Once all is said and done, you go home – now that wasn’t hard, was it? Now you’ll have to wait to hear back from them; patience again comes in. When they call you back, my friend, the search is done, and you’re off to a new adventure of meeting new people and discovering new things from intelligent individuals. Use that time to make sure some of that knowledge rubs off on you.
You got it!
