Job searches can be one of the most frustrating things that you have to do in your life. After all you know what you are capable of and which jobs would be right for you but convincing other people is another task altogether.

The thing with job searches is that the right job is out there but once you have had a few knock backs, which is inevitable, it can really dent your confidence. Especially because getting it right has great potential impact on your life.

Get it right and you could be working in a job you love with a good salary. Get it wrong and it could be an entirely different story. Because of the importance of conducting a job search well it surprises me that it wasn’t taught in school or that people don’t invest more time into getting it right. Here are the things you need to be prepared for and a few tips for getting it right.

Write a good CV

Well this can be tricky. Mostly because it is a boring and time consuming process. But do not despair. Remember that you are selling yourself. So write about your achievements and make it look good. Employers get thousands of CVs throughout the years and you need to make yours slightly different to all the rest.

Perhaps you could write it on pink paper, include a picture or give it a border. Anything to make you more human will help your cause. After all you will only have applied or got an interview as a result of your qualifications so presuming you have the right ones you need to dazzle them with your personality.

Send it to as many people as possible

Presuming you have written a lovely CV that really shows the world how great you are you need to send it to as many of the Jobs that you like the look of as you can. Remember that loads of the jobs you might apply for may sound boring on the face of it but until you have been to the place and checked it out for yourself you don’t know.

A boring looking administration job might turn out to be fun if the office has a good working atmosphere. So keep sending it out and don’t be demoralised if you don’t hear back from all of them – that’s the way it goes! But also don’t be afraid to check up on your applications. Employers like keen people!

Be positive and self assured in your interview

It is no good being apologetic about your achievements in an interview. Brag about the things you have achieved in life no matter how small you may think they are. Share as much about yourself as possible. Most employers do not want someone that gives stock answers to the questions they give you they want to hear something exciting and interesting about you. You will become part of the team so they will want someone that can get on with their work colleagues. They won’t get that impression about you if you keep giving them monosyllabic answers.

Negotiate hard

They don’t know that your desperate. You will regret it if you undercut yourself. On the flip side the employer is likely to value your abilities if you put a high price on them. That is to say ask for a lot of money and your employer will assume you are worth a lot of money.

Image taken on 2006-10-30 15:30:37. Image Source. (Used with permission)