What to Consider Before Applying for a Job
So, you have found an ideal job for you, great! But before you start filling out your application form, consider a few of these questions to make sure that it’s right for you. Even if the job description sounds like the perfect role, there is always a much bigger picture worth considering, which will help you to manage your own expectations.
Research the company: Can you see yourself working there?
Think of the company culture, although it can be a consuming task to research the company, there are some questions you will need to ask yourself before applying. Can you see yourself working in this environment? Can you see yourself fitting into the company culture? No matter how excited you are about the job description, if the culture isn’t right, it may ultimately control the love you have for what you do.
Think of the company culture, although it can be a consuming task to research the company, there are some questions you will need to ask yourself before applying. Can you see yourself working in this environment? Can you see yourself fitting into the company culture? No matter how excited you are about the job description, if the culture isn’t right, it may ultimately control the love you have for what you do.
These are all things you can begin to understand properly with some thorough research, which will generate a better picture of your potential personal progression with the company.
Top tip! Search employee reviews, especially when working for a larger company where there may be many, which will give you a valuable idea of what to expect.
Does this job fit my long-term career plans, will it get me closer to where I want to be?
No matter what experiences you’ve had, good or bad, try to view them as another step closer to where you want to be. A negative experience can be equally important if you’ve learnt something right? When you are evaluating a job description especially if it’s a job you can see yourself in for a long period of time, think carefully whether it will provide you with the right skills you need, whether there is room for progression and if you can see yourself completing the duties required.
Top tip! Search employee reviews, especially when working for a larger company where there may be many, which will give you a valuable idea of what to expect.
Does this job fit my long-term career plans, will it get me closer to where I want to be?
No matter what experiences you’ve had, good or bad, try to view them as another step closer to where you want to be. A negative experience can be equally important if you’ve learnt something right? When you are evaluating a job description especially if it’s a job you can see yourself in for a long period of time, think carefully whether it will provide you with the right skills you need, whether there is room for progression and if you can see yourself completing the duties required.
Even if you’re a part-time worker or at college/university, look for jobs that can expose you to similar duties in other sectors to what you want from your future career. General skills such as customer service, communication or organisation are all desirable, worthwhile skills to gain.
Commute, is it a realistic length?
When you believe you have found the perfect job you may persuade yourself that the commute is realistic. However, the length of travel time and the cost of travel each day may affect your overall job satisfaction in the long run. It is, therefore, best to work out not only the time and cost; but also possible recurring travel delays or poor weather conditions and also what the best route might be.
Commute, is it a realistic length?
When you believe you have found the perfect job you may persuade yourself that the commute is realistic. However, the length of travel time and the cost of travel each day may affect your overall job satisfaction in the long run. It is, therefore, best to work out not only the time and cost; but also possible recurring travel delays or poor weather conditions and also what the best route might be.
Consider what impact the travel costs will have on your take-home salary; will this be enough for you? Or does the employer offer any travel contributions? These are all points worth considering when applying for that dream job, particularly when you are very much interested in the job as you may be subconsciously persuading yourself that these things are not a deciding factor when in actual fact, they may be very important to you.
Have you made your CV unique to the company, does this match the job description?
We always encourage adjusting your CV to ensure its truthful and clear for each role you would like to apply for to ensure you give off the right impression. First of all, think about the job description and person specification for the position you have applied for, what responsibilities does the job role require and how can you match your current skills and experiences to this? Also consider the sector of the business for example what keywords you could add to your CV if it was a job in the shipping industry (Logistics, Shipping, Freight Forwarding.)
Top tip! remember to update your contact details if you haven’t checked your CV recently, you will be surprised the amount of people that have the wrong phone number and email, resulting in no contact back.
Have you made your CV unique to the company, does this match the job description?
We always encourage adjusting your CV to ensure its truthful and clear for each role you would like to apply for to ensure you give off the right impression. First of all, think about the job description and person specification for the position you have applied for, what responsibilities does the job role require and how can you match your current skills and experiences to this? Also consider the sector of the business for example what keywords you could add to your CV if it was a job in the shipping industry (Logistics, Shipping, Freight Forwarding.)
Top tip! remember to update your contact details if you haven’t checked your CV recently, you will be surprised the amount of people that have the wrong phone number and email, resulting in no contact back.