Reorganization of work, scarcer offers, more competition; The health crisis has turned the job market and job search upside down. We give you the keys so that you can stand out and maximize your chances of entering the workforce.
Be flexible in your research
CDI or CDD?
First of all, you need to set yourself professional goals in three years and look at your options to get there.
Your first job will allow you to get a foot in the door of the working world, even if it doesn't perfectly match your expectations. Don't limit yourself to looking only for a permanent contract, it is often synonymous with stability but it is rarer in the current context. Don't hesitate to go for fixed-term contracts, which will allow you to acquire skills, have significant experience, and create a network.
Select these jobs carefully as they will act as a showcase on your resume. The missions must correspond to you, beyond the work you will have the opportunity to see if you feel good in the company, if there are prospects for development, if the company corresponds to your values. These experiences will give you a better chance of landing a position that matches your criteria and brings you closer to your goals.
Do an internship again?
If your situation allows it, you can opt for this option. In short, for companies, these are contracts that are easy to set up. We should not see it in a reductive way, but on the contrary say that it is the possibility of discovering a new company, to continue to expand our network.
To stand out from the competition and show what you're capable of, give it your all and try to do more than what is asked of you.
Make yourself indispensable to continue in the company, if they realize your true value but they can't keep you, they will help you find a place elsewhere.
Mobilize your network
In any case, when you want to enter the job market, don't hesitate to mobilize your network and contact your internship supervisors. This is the first qualified contact you need to keep. Stay in touch with that person on the phone, have lunch with them if the situation allows. Use Linkedin, it's a great way to keep in touch with your former colleagues and internship supervisors.
Stop the mass applications and stand out!
Take care of your CV
This is the first document the recruiter will see, but for one position, they are likely to see hundreds. That's why you have to convince him in a few seconds to select you.
First of all, you need to give a title to your CV, such as the job you are applying for or a job universe.
Next, you need to post your availability. The recruiter should immediately see when you are available to take a position.
Finally, highlight keywords in your resume.
Our short-term memory allows us to retain 7 items on average in a very short period of time of about 30 seconds. That's why it's important to be concise. Therefore, when you talk about your past experiences, specify the assignments you have completed in the form of keywords.
Adopts an application strategy
You have to prioritize quality over quantity. It won't be beneficial for you to send your CV and cover letter mechanically. You need to customize these two elements and follow a strategy.
We advise you to choose about twenty companies in which you really want to work. Take a hard look at their websites, their social networks, the values they exude and the projects they lead.
Once you have determined them, you will adapt your approach and cover letter to each of the companies.
It's time to apply! To send your application, you can target people on Linkedin in this company that takes care of the recruitment or someone who is part of your trade. This will allow you to have a privileged first contact with a person from the company. Therefore, it is very important to take care of your CV as well as your Linkedin profile.
Linkedin gives you the opportunity to enrich your profile by detailing your experiences and missions. Take advantage of these features and remember to update your information regularly.
We advise you not to abandon spontaneous applications to enter the job market. Indeed, many companies do not publish their offers and are looking for new talent.
Get organized
We advise you to organize your research with an Excel document.
You will be able to easily:
- Track the status of your research
- Know exactly when you sent your CV and cover letter to the company
- Know who you've contacted and through which channel
- When you have where to relaunch each of the companies
- whether you got a positive or negative answer
Stand out during interviews to enter the job market
Finally you've landed your first interview, you're almost there, but you still have to pass it!
When you're asked to introduce yourself, keep it concise.
In order to present yourself in a relevant way, we recommend the elevator pitch or elevator speech method. This technique is used by start-ups and consists of presenting yourself and selling your project during an elevator ride, so between 30 seconds and 1 minute. You will use and adapt this technique to present yourself in a convincing and concise way.
You have to hook your interlocutor orally as well as in writing on Linkedin, for that you have to go to the essentials. When introducing yourself, you will talk about the job you are aiming for, the type of position you want, without forgetting to mention your availability.
During this interview, it is tempting to look back on all these past experiences and missions to demonstrate what you have done and put in place. OInstead, you should choose one or two missions that you will describe in more detail. You can go back to their context, what you put in place to make them and the result it yielded. If you can illustrate them with numbers, that's even better.
In short, be yourself, answer the questions and structure your answers. As an added bonus, it is always relevant to illustrate your past experiences with a book that lists your achievements.
Discover our positive impact companies
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