8 golden rules to remember when searching for the perfect job

The road to landing your dream job can be a bumpy one. Luckily there are experts like Jeff Lovejoy, SumUp’s Future Talent Programme Manager, who are here to help guide you and make the process a little easier.

The last decade of my career has been focused on Future Talent, from building attraction strategies, to hiring, training and developing recent graduates. Through it all, I’ve learned a lot about the challenges faced by early-career job seekers and how they can be overcome or even avoided. Here are eight of the most important things to remember during your early career journey.

A job search isn’t just a job search, it’s a company search. It’s about finding a community that’s in line with your values and one you can feel comfortable being yourself in. There can be a lot of pressure to “just find a job, any job.” But I can assure you, it’s worth your while to define and uphold your own standards. Take the time to step back and think about what you want from an employer, your must-haves and what you’re willing to compromise on. I tell my students every year that finding the right company can be like finding the perfect soulmate. The only way you can find the right one is by staying true to who you are.

Job hunting can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to go at it alone. Having a support system in place can be instrumental in helping you find and land the right job. Find people in your peer group or student organization with whom you could bounce ideas off of, seek advice on your CV or even practice mock interviews. This way, even if you don’t get the job or even feedback from a company, you’re still able to talk through it and learn from it. My support group calls itself “The Three Amigos” (shout out to Tomas Christodoulou and Graeme Butler). We are there for each other whenever one of us is changing careers or going through something professionally. If it wasn’t for this group, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

As harsh as it may sound, it’s completely true. There are going to be times when you feel like you’ve done everything right but the world was just working against you. This is inevitable and there will be setbacks. In times like these, you need to just keep pushing forward. Resilience is key both in a career and in life. Stay positive and remember to lean on your support system when necessary.

During the heart of the pandemic, I was reminded of the importance of resilience when I faced the uncertainty of furlough. Applying for jobs during the health crisis wasn’t easy or fun. I received lots of rejections, emails saying they liked my profile but had nothing for me and sometimes no feedback at all. Through it all, I just had to keep moving forward. Then one morning I woke up and had an email requesting an interview. Then another email, and another. Eventually, I found myself in a job that I love. But to get here, I had to keep my head held high even when it felt completely forced. So remember, yes times are difficult and life is not always fair, but keep pushing forward. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

With every application sent comes a chance of rejection. Don’t let this stop you from applying to your dream position. Rejection is an important part of the career search journey. In fact, try to see it as an opportunity. An opportunity to reflect, reevaluate your CV and learn from your mistakes or any feedback you may have received. What you don’t want to do is take your frustration out on the recruiter and send emails disagreeing with their decision. Recruitment is a small world at times and people move around. I’ve heard stories of candidates sending hate emails and then finding themselves in the same process with the same recruiter at another company later and trust me, recruiters remember. The takeaway here is that it’s okay to be rejected and you shouldn’t let fear get in the way of applying in the first place. If you’ve done your research, tailored your CV and match the skillset then yes, you should apply and don’t be afraid of rejection.

Job descriptions can be intimidating. It’s a fact. Companies often try to use as many descriptive words as possible to attract the perfect candidate. Trust me, they’re living in a fantasy world. Unfortunately, a key-word stuffed job ad can cause candidates to feel unqualified, even if they have a ton of growth potential. Moreover, complex job ads can cause companies to miss out on a more diverse candidate pool. There are tons of studies out there that show the difference between men and women when it comes to applying for jobs. Men often apply for jobs even though they don’t meet all requirements whereas women don’t. That said, more and more companies are implementing efforts to ensure job ads are inclusive and open to all possible candidates. Therefore, don’t limit yourself. If you don’t meet all requirements, take the risk. Every unmet requirement is a chance to expand your skillset and drive your career.

Let’s face it, applying for jobs at times can feel like a job in itself. Especially if you’re already working. It’s a time-consuming process and can easily cause job search fatigue, especially if you aren’t seeing results right away. There will be times when you hit a wall. When you consider taking just any old job or staying in the one you’ve been wanting to leave. During the lockdown in the summer of 2020, there were times when I thought I’d never get back to work. After months of applying and getting either rejected or ghosted, I almost talked myself into waiting until 2021. If I had done that, I would have missed out on some amazing opportunities. In these situations, you must remind yourself of all the reasons you decided to look for a job in the first place. Don’t get complacent, keep pushing and remember to lean on your support system.

As cliche as it sounds, positive thinking can truly make a difference. I’ve always been a firm believer in the idea that good people surround themselves with good people. Stay clear of the negativity in your life. Need a break from social media? Take one! Have people in your network who’re interrupting your positivity? Block them. Of course, these are just some examples. Really toxicity could be anything. The point is, job hunting requires a clear and hopeful mind. And recruiters can sense negativity, trust me. So try your best to nurture positivity and practice self-care whenever possible.

Lastly, it’s important to take the time to appreciate even the smallest accomplishments. Whether it’s celebrating the fact that you applied to your top 5 companies or made it to the final round of an interview process, there is always something to be proud of. Remember, we live in a world where a single job post can attract hundreds of applicants. Celebrate that you got an initial interview even if you didn’t make it to the second round! Celebrate your support system. Celebrate the skills that you’ve developed until now. Celebrate that you got a rejection because it means you took the risk and now you have the chance to learn from it. These are all great things and absolutely reasons to feel proud of.

It’s my hope that these 8 lessons help you on your journey to not only find the right job but tackle the world in a way that matters to you. So get out there, stay positive, learn, reflect and focus on whatever it is that drives you. If you do all that, you’ll be just fine. Best of luck out there!

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