6 Tips When Applying For A Job

Whether you are trying to get a job, internship or placement you are going to be going through a pretty stressful period. Taking a new direction is daunting, especially when you are not sure which direction you will be taking.

Each new opportunity that comes, whether it's an interview or just an application, you talk yourself round to having this job as your new or temporary life before you've even got it. Then if you don't get it you're bitterly disappointed, or if you get accepted you doubt that the path is definitely right for you.

We are currently in the process of applying for a year long placement and we can honestly say we've never felt so unsettled! We are obsessive planners, and like to always know our next step, but how can we when we don't know what company or job role we will have, whether we will be living at home or getting our own place, or when we will even start when we do get one?

Applying for a job sounds pretty easy, but we can assure you it's not.  There are so many things we wish we had known when we first started applying, and hopefully this post will help with anyone going through the application process, and maybe make you prepared for what's to come.

1) Try and find out what you want to do

When we first started applying we were fussy, we wanted an exact role and wouldn't settle for anything less. A few months and a lot of rejections later we flipped to the opposite, applying for absolutely anything and everything. Then when we started to get opportunities we realised that we actually no longer knew what we wanted, and quickly figured out that the only way to know is to explore. This then leads on to...

2) Don't judge a role by it's description

Kirst got offered an interview and was convinced the role wasn't for her. For days on end she was toying between whether to go or not, if she didn't go she felt as if she would look back regretting and asking 'what if?', but she also had a gut feeling that it just wasn't for her.  Despite these feelings, she went to the interview for peace of mind, and because well... time felt as if it was running out. Luckily for her, she absolutely loved it - her gut feeling was way off and instead, within the first 10 minutes she couldn't see herself anywhere else. Moral of the story? First impressions aren't always accurate, and we'd rather take rejection than regret.

3) Be unique in selling yourself

One of the placements that Em applied for specifically asked to not be bored with a 'generic cover letter'. So many people just changed the company name in their cover letter, and it shows. Every job is different, even if the only difference in the actual role is the company it's for, meaning that everyone wants something different from you. Sell yourself differently to match the tone of the company, it will make you much more likely to stand out and less likely to be ignored.

4) Know your company from the word go

Two words... surprise interviews. Companies are always looking for ways to get the most honest representation of you that they can. When they ask for an interview they know you will go away and swot up on what you might be asked, and let's be honest anyone can do that. As soon as you apply for a job spend time getting to know the company inside out (you should have already started doing this when writing your cover letter) so that your confidence is evident right from the start.

5) Ask questions

When applying for a job you think that all the questions are directed at you, but actually what you ask says a lot about you. It tells the company what it is you want from the job, and determines how passionate you are about getting it. Ask questions that make you look genuinely interested, such as questions about the working environment, your responsibilities etc so you find out about the potential job and make it look like its something that you really want.

6) Be prepared to be rejected

We've done a whole post on being rejected, find it here. When applying for multiple jobs it's important to know that you are likely to face rejection, even if you haven't done anything wrong. You could have been the perfect employee, but someone else may have just had one teeny tiny element that made them suit the job better. It's important that you don't doubt yourself. Rejection is just another phase in the process, and you can't let it knock your confidence. Accept the rejection, take on board the feedback and use it go for the next job with a whole new sense of experience.

It's OK To Be Rejected

Throughout our childhood we are constantly comforted when something doesn't go our way. It's instilled in us that 'there are no losers' and 'it's the taking part that counts', but do we ever really believe it? 

When you've put your all into something, only to be told that you're not good enough, does anyone really think to themselves 'oh well at least I tried'? Maybe, but after receiving two rejections from placements today (Yep, all I can say is TGIF), I can safely tell you that it certainly isn't easy. 

Rejection comes in all shapes and sizes, and it's hard to not take it personally. Sure it could have been for a million reasons that weren't entirely specific to you, but at the end of the day you were the one not wanted, so it's pretty hard for it not to feel like it's all on you. 

Whether you've been rejected by someone, something you've applied to or just not accepted for any reason, its bound to make you feel pretty down about yourself, and can have a massive impact on your self-esteem, but you need to know that rejection is ok. 

In fact, it's more than ok and can be one of the best ways to give yourself a new sense of direction. When we are looking to impress often we brag that we 'thrive with challenges', and being rejected is the perfect opportunity to make this true. 

You've been rejected by a guy? Pick yourself up and show him what he's missing. Been rejected for a job you've applied to? Make your hunger for success stronger and find someone else to try and impress. Rejected because you didn't get the grades you needed? Then put your all into working hard enough to make up for your mistakes.

Being rejected is simply part of life, and it's something that no matter how hard we try, we will never be able to escape from. Growing up we are surrounded by teachers, families and the promise of less at stake to soften the blow, but as you get older you realise that coming back from rejection is completely down to you. Yes it's ok to be rejected, but it's not ok to let it get you down for too long. 

I'd love to say that you should bounce straight back, but for many of us this just won't happen. So take some time to wallow in self pity, eat cake, have a cry and moan about how life just isn't fair (I've had a white hot chocolate and a brownie, it hasn't helped my waistline, but I do feel better), But don't let this last. Rejection makes you stronger, and learning from all that it brings will reduce your chances of being rejected again. Learn from your mistakes and come back stronger. Yes it hurts and is hard to get over, but it isn't the first and it won't be the last time you are rejected, and that's ok. 

Emma x 

How To Make Your Twitter Employer Friendly

Can everyone please stop telling us that we're 'in the real world now'. Like seriously, we don't fancy it. Take us back to no responsibilities and never having to think past the next few hours of our day, we're not a fan of this whole 'planning for the future' business, it's tiring.

Sure everyone talks about this real world, and it's never sounded like much fun but being in it is a whole other story. Having to face employers (and the rejection that they are so keen to dish out) makes you question your abilities, and how you come across to others, which like we said is pretty tiring.

But unfortunately it has to be done, and while we would love to book a one way ticket to somewhere hot and carefree, our morning is actually going to be spent applying to placements, sigh.

Ok, so we'll stop moaning now and get to actually being helpful.

Are you one of those people that tweets absolutely every thought that you have? Do you tweet without a second thought? And think that the more controversial you are the better? Well if so then we love people like you, but employers may not.

Gone are the days when you turn up to a job interview and are judged on how you perform, and the way you appear (oh how much easier would that be!?), nope now there is a whole library of information that employers can find on you, and that's all thanks to the wonderful place we like to call the internet.

While Big Brother is a set up environment it's not too far away from real life, and employers really are like Big Brother watching you. What better way to get to know what someone actually thinks, than stalking them on an account where they will happily bare all without a second thought?

You need to show some consideration to how you come across online, and here's a few tips on how to do so:

1) Show an interest in global affairs

This is extremely impressive to employers as it shows you have interests that are of use, rather than just being interested in who slapped who on The Real Housewives (sorry Kirst). We have been asked to discuss events taking place in the world in previous interviews, so displaying a knowledge through your online identity will help employers find what they are looking for in their candidates.

2) Avoid bragging about working on a hangover

While your friends may find this funny and impressive your potential employers will not. We are not saying don't do it (because where's the fun in that?) but what we are saying is don't brag about it. This instantly tells employers that you are unreliable and makes them question if you would be someone they could trust to employ.

3) Be careful what you retweet and favourite

So often we do not consider what we favourite/retweet and simply click a button to do so without even thinking. Ok granted you didn't write the tweet, but what you favourite actually tells an employer a lot about you, as it's an indirect way of expressing views that you might have. Would it be something that, with employers watching you in mind, you would tweet? No? Then don't favourite/retweet it.

4) Ditch references to things that break the law

This sounds ridiculously obvious, but you wouldn't believe how many people do it. Tweeting about the illegal substances you consumed the night before may be the norm for you, but 83% of employers say that this would completely put them off employing you (understandable really). You have to get the balance of being yourself, and impressing employers, meaning that some things need to go unsaid we're afraid.

5) Watch the grammar

We know, we know your Twitter isn't an academic piece of work, and you spend enough time proof reading assignments, but the trouble is that this is what is expected of you, where as correct spelling on Twitter, typically is not. This means that employers are shown your true literary abilities (rather than the usual spell checked stuff you've written elsewhere), and with 66% of hiring managers claiming they would be put off by evidence of poor grammar, we're sorry to say that spell checking your Twitter is gonna have to happen.

6) Pick your opinions wisely

If you know you will be applying for a job at a specific company, make sure your tweets show a consideration of this. You may think you are fine if you are not negatively tweeting about the company themselves, but many of the big corporations work together, so be careful to not be digging at any alliances that they may have. Do your research, and make sure you censor your posts so that a potential employer will not be offended by what you have written.


It seems like the obvious solution would be just be to make your account private right? Unfortunately not, as this will limit your accessibility when you are searching for a job. Instead it's best to find a balance between being yourself, and being someone that employers will like.

This does not mean singing the praises of all your potential employers (hellooo they will see right through you), but it does mean being mindful of how you conduct yourself online. Like we said, this is the 'real world' now, and as much as we hate to admit it, this means being responsible and attempting to appear to like adult (most of the time).