It’s 1:20am. I’m wide awake. Not because I want to be, but because my brain is working on overdrive. Finding a job is stressful.
Rewind.
The typical, society-accepted life plan is as follows:
-Finish high school
-Enter university
-Graduate from university
-Enter the job market and build your career
-Get married
-Have 2.5 children
-Be successful in your career
-Retire, build a boat, sail the world. Or something like that.
Wow, way to go with placing us in a box, society. And though many people will claim we should break free from the status quo, the underlying values haven’t changed. I’m in the stage of my life where my friends are getting married, having children, starting their careers. And here I am, fresh from traveling, single, and unemployed. I’m doing it all wrong, apparently. And I love it.
I love that I have invaluable experiences with people from around the world. I love that I’ve eaten street food from a vendor that probably doesn’t have a food license. I love that I’ve eaten happy pizzas in Cambodia after a chafing day cycling around the temples. I love that I’ve lost and found my phone in Hong Kong. I love that I’ve snorkeled on the same island that Leonardo DiCaprio did. I love that I’ve made friends from all around the world.
And now that I’ve experienced all that, and more, I’m feeling ready to get into this little thing called a career. My travels have shaped me more than I thought possible, and I know what I want and don’t want. It’s easy to settle for mediocre when you don’t know that there’s a higher standard. I’m not willing to settle. I want the best. >>Even if that means I’m getting married at 30 and not 25<<
How to get into the job market once you get home? I’m not totally there yet (hopefully that’s changing this week), but I’ll share some tips that have helped me so far.
1. Figure out what you want
I studied media communication, and that is a very broad field. I can pretty much do anything from producing films to writing newspaper articles. So the first thing I had to do was narrow the media field to decide what it was I wanted. I listed the top careers and went from there. It’s a little daunting, because after being an English teacher for nearly two years, I didn’t quite know what I wanted in the media field. But thanks to modern television and the ever so insightful internet, I narrowed it down nicely. Taking into considertion what I love to do in my spare time, my personality, the type of work environment I thrive in, and my location, I was able to narrow down the media fields I’d be most interested in. Public relations. Social media. Copywriting. Advertising. Marketing. Media relations.
2. FIgure out how to get what you want
You know what you want to do. Great. But how to do it, that’s the question. I did so much research about the fields that most interested me and the thing that was most interesting was how they all linked up. Many times a junior position will open the doors you need to climb a totally different ladder. For example, a junior position in an advertising company could help me make the jump to a PR firm. Experience is invaluable. So backtrack the career field and determine what the most junior positions are and take it from there.
3. Sort out that resume
People underestimate the power of a great CV/resume. It’s just about listing your details, eduacational background, and skills. It’s about tailoring your CV to the job you’re applying for. I started editing my CV and saved different copies for the different sectors I was applying for. If you’re applying for a position as a teacher, add your au pair experience. But if you’re applying for an advertising position, that au pair information is largely irrelevant.
4. Apply apply apply
I think I’ve sent out probably close to a hundred job applications. Thanks to the internet, “apply for this job” has helped largely. Depending on the company, they received a copy of my CV and a cover letter. For some I even sent the link to my blog. If you’re here because of my CV link, welcome 🙂
Many job ads made me feel less than qualified because of the high expectations, but apply for those too. Don’t be put off because you may not have the necessary experience, but your education or other skills may be what they’re looking for. If you’re a quick learner, tell them that. Many of the job ads sound way more complex than the job actually is. Do research about the job and if it’s something you’re interested in or it features on the list of steps to building your career, apply. It won’t kill you.
5. Rejection is okay
We all know the stories about famous people being rejected so many times before getting their big break. That could be you. It sucks to be rejected, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a small price to pay for when you’re finally accepted. I had my heart set on a job that I’d applied for. They had me do a test before the interview stage and I felt confident. But someone else was more equipped. It was a blow to my ego and I started feeling like a complete failure. I was almost ready to get on a plane and go back to SoKo where the money is easy and life is smooth sailing. But then I got some emails…
6. Your time will come, and when it does, Due Diligence pays off
After my rejection from a promising job, I finally got some feedback from a few companies in Cape Town. I could barely believe it. I started becoming nervous at the prospects. I reckon I’m a pretty good interviewee. I have to be, considering I taught business classes which consisted of how to prepare for interview. But those tests are the things that get me. And boy do they make you jump through hoops.
For my first interview I was more unprepared than prepared. Luckily my knowledge of social media was a big help, plus I brought some international experience to the table. I wish I had taken into account that due diligence pays off. One of my friends taught me that. And he is an inspiration, being the winner of the International Trade Law award for the top student in 2013.
So for the next interview, I did more research about the position, the company, and the history. I mentally prepared myself for the type of position and the information that is valuable. The interview went well. The test they had me take also went rather well. We’ll see the outcome soon enough.
All three companies that I am stoked to work for will be making their decisions this week. Damn those public holidays we’ve been having. So by the end of the week I’ll either be employed or I’ll be drowning my sorrows. Followed by more job applications, of course.
Coming back from traveling is quite the adjustment, but getting into the job market is even more of an adjustment. Prioritise your career if that’s what is most important to you as you return to your country. I’ve put any thought of a relationship on the back burner until I had my career on track. Priorities!
I’d love to hear how you’ve been adjusting to life as you knew it, so email me, comment, tweet, skywrite if you must!
Peace, love and hugs 🙂
PS. I’ll keep you posted about my employment status as soon as I know!
Is There Life After Traveling? 