How can you get work ready when you are leaving education or seeking jobs? These tips will help you feel motivated to take your next steps with confidence.
1. Improve your time-keeping
Time-keeping is one of the most basic and valued skills that you can develop. Setting up a pattern of getting up at 9am even when you do not have school, work experience or an event is crucial to establishing this crucial routine. It is important to set alarms, keep a diary, and update your calendar. Although this may be hard at first, you will benefit greatly from developing these routines.
Timekeeping tips2. Improve your spelling and grammar
Keeping a wide vocabulary will allow you access to a higher standard of speech and writing. This opens doors, and improves your overall communication. To do this, widen your reading material. Read newspapers online or on your phone. Find books or comics on topics you enjoy and pick up the words that they use. Use a dictionary (or google) to deepen your understanding of words and their meanings when you do not understand. If you don’t understand a word, do not use it. Learn to break up your paragraphs to make them easier to read. A rule of thumb is no more than 3 or 4 sentences.
3. Improve your qualifications and experience
Volunteering and work experience can be gained through local Voluntary and Community Services. These are great resources to expand your skills, work ethic and networks. Many of these give out qualifications and develop the story of your career journey. This is invaluable to employers.
4. Improve your body language
The way you dress highly impacts peoples first impressions of you, and affects the way you feel about yourself. If you feel ready, then there is a high chance you are ready. Look yourself in the mirror and ask “Would I give you a job?” and if not, why not? When networking, you may often be the one to make first contact, and prospective contacts are more likely to give you their time when you look determined, ready and engaging. Ask someone if you look well dressed, smart, and employable.
5. Improve your story
All people, including employers, do not want to know your life story from birth. They want to know the key points that keep them listening are relevant to the position you are applying for. When you have a good, engaging story to tell that sucks in your interviewer, you are on the right track. Make sure to include points for them to jump in and comment on, so you know they were listening. Interviews are two way dialogues, where you negotiate your positions and agree to a deal. Make sure to sound valuable to improve your negotiating power!
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