Job hunting tips to land a job in the now normal

by Elton Gagni / October 13, 2020

Employment in the now normal is one of the most significant means of surviving the pandemic. While contraction of the Philippine economy has gone down from 16.5 percent in Q2 2020 to 7.7 percent in Q3 2020, a survey done by jobs portal JobStreet revealed that employment opportunities are likely to tighten up for the remainder of the year.

Jobseekers need not fret because the JobStreet survey also indicated that accounting, sales/customer service/business development/, and IT are among the fields with the highest hiring prospects. As opportunities remain available across different industries, a few things have certainly changed in the hiring process, starting with how jobs interviews are done.

The Red Circle spoke to Human Resources (HR) Director Shine Rodriguez who said that in 2019, interviews would take up around 80% of an HR personnel’s day, especially in the sales and customer service sectors. While recruitment has indeed slowed down now, Filipinos have also adapted to the needs of different sectors, have gone digital to practice their skills in selling, and acquired a newly developed competency.

Likewise, Rodriguez shared that companies have also broadened their requirements. Those that have the capacity to do sales remotely, have become more flexible in accommodating these talents. “The opportunity to get people whose backgrounds are not necessarily in sales are now being considered. The recruitment process is usually very strict and highly requires a strong background. But now, despite the lack of experience, jobseekers who are willing to start at an entry level are entertained because of their entrepreneurial spirit.”

If you’ve been actively searching for jobs these past few months, Rodriguez shared several tips to help you better prepare for your virtual interviews and land the job:

1. Make your CV stand out and speak for you. Rodriguez shared that the interview starts when the recruiter reads your CV through a “paper screening.” You have to stand out and the first step is creating a compelling CV that will be interesting enough for the recruiters to want to talk to you. Regardless of the design of your CV, you have to at the onset present key achievements in your previous positions and not just the descriptions. These need to be highlighted because it showcases how you have contributed to your previous organizations.

2. Look sharp and professional. Prepare as if it’s a face-to-face interview. Fix your hair, put on make-up, bring out your best shirt or dress, all in an effort to make yourself presentable and professional, especially in front of a camera. This will also reflect how you will be representing the company when you present yourself to other people, even remotely.

3. Prepare your interview time and space. Make sure that you have stable connectivity and that your interview space is quiet. It is most important that recruiters are focused solely on you, so don’t give them the chance to be distracted by the noise in your background or at home. Talk to the people at home. Don’t schedule your online shopping deliveries the same time as your interview. Prepare for it as if you’re not at home as it will showcase your professionalism.

4. Do a thorough research. Landing a job is a two-way street because the decision to hire or be hired does not only rely on the recruiter but on the jobseeker as well. Because the pandemic has given you time to reflect on your values as a person, do your homework and study the background of the company that you’re eyeing. Check if their values align with yours. More than the compensation and position, culture and values must also resonate with you for you to fully realize and showcase your skills.

5. Know the position you want. Apart from research on the company, prepare for the position that you want to land. Use the information that you will gather to better showcase relevant experiences from your previous company or even during university years. You need to be able to share your past behavior or how you worked, so they will also see your future behavior and performance. Ultimately, what is important is underscoring what you can bring to the table and reinforcing your commitment to contributing to their success.

6. Draw a clear picture and sell yourself. You need to provide context on your achievements from the role and actions you’ve taken to the results of these situations. A common mistake among jobseekers is that they don’t contextualize enough and also shortchange themselves. While being a humble team player is valued, selling yourself goes beyond the “we” and more about the “I” and what you specifically contributed to those achievements or situations.

Rodriguez reiterated that if there’s one thing that jobseekers need to keep in mind, it’s the value of preparing for these virtual engagements as if they were in-person and face-to-face. If you’re only keen on dressing from the waist up, then at least make sure that you are properly groomed and are able to present yourself professionally on cam.

The now normal may have pushed us to make certain compromises in the way we live, work, learn, and experience, but it doesn’t take much to prepare for an interview, much less when we’re able to do it at the comfort of our own home.

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