So, you’ve decided it’s time for a fresh start and a new challenge. Maybe you’ve been at the same company since you left school, eager to branch out. Perhaps you’ve progressed as far as you can in your current organization, or you think you’d like to pursue a new career altogether.

There are many different reasons for moving jobs, and, in many cases, there is no more motive than simply wanting a change. But, before you freshen up your resume, dust down your interview outfit, and embark on looking for that perfect role, it’s crucial to slow down, take stock, and think about what you need from your new job.

What Can I Bring To The Job?

What unique qualities or talent do you have to make you a STANDOUT candidate? Before submitting your CV, you will need to think – will the hiring manager read this and offer you an interview? Have you included all relevant work experience, or have you attached any internship experience along with your skills and expertise if you’re a fresher? Is it all presented in a summarized, neat layout? If you haven’t done this, you should look over your resume again to make sure everything you mentioned is relevant to the job you are applying for.

How Will It Fit Into My Long-Term Career Goals?

Placing a job within your long-term career goals can help you decide whether to apply or withdraw your job application. Try to search for opportunities pertinent to the industry or the platform you are looking at and the career goals you wish to accomplish.

For example, a newly graduated English major interested in publishing should look for entry-level (base level) positions in publishing houses rather than smearing for the first job they find at a bookstore.

However, it is essential to note that it might be challenging to find the right opportunities at the right time, and in some scenarios, you might have to work in jobs that do not match your career goals.

Is  My CV Relevant To The Job I Am Applying For?

It is one of the most critical questions to be solved before applying for a job. Submitting the SAME resume to multiple job openings will not help your job chances anyway. Therefore, you need to ensure you spend extra time adjusting other CVs for various roles. A mass distributed resume looks sloppy and unprofessional, which is a big NO-NO when applying for a job. It would be best to customize your resume according to the job requirements. 

Will The Job Challenge Me?

Look closely at the job responsibilities and think about whether these will challenge you. See here; we are not saying particularly to choose a challenging or a simple job. We want to say that be comfortable with the job you are applying for. However, although it’s always good to have a challenge in your work, you need to understand that no job is easy, every profession has its challenges, but you can accomplish the work with the relevant skills. So therefore, yes, there will be some challenges in every position you apply for.

Is It Something I Am Genuinely Interested In?

You can only give your best when genuinely interested in the work. You need to ask yourself whether you are applying for a role just because you want to work? Or are you genuinely interested in the role and company? Sometimes, candidates (predominantly freshers) need the job because they are fascinated with working for the first time. They forget what their passion is and what they should do. However, if you are lucky enough to choose a job based on something that interests you, find a focused position in your career. Which is also something you know you will enjoy doing daily.

Are There Any Networking Connections (Alumni) I have Within The Company?

You might know someone who already works in the company or where you want to work. Even if it is as minute as attending the same college, any connection can help your application through the hiring process. Try to connect with that person or person(s) before submitting your application, as some companies like to hire individuals associated with their current employees.

Do My Social Media Profiles Represent Me Well?

The hiring manager may check your social media profile in the social media world. If you have yet to privatize your social media profiles, now is the time to do it! The HR or a manager may look at your CV and be thoroughly impressed! However, once they start to look at your online engagement, they may see something that they don’t like minimizing your chances of getting offered an interview. Therefore, concentrate on the professional social media platform LinkedIn and treat your page as an additional resume.

Conclusion

We have shared some essential questions and their answers; doing a job in a startup or any other platform is not only a thing, but before getting deep, you should also know your capabilities and limitations. And the position for which you’re looking, do they match with educational qualifications?. So these are some questions asked before applying job (mentioned above) that might help you get focussed in the right direction and clarify your doubts.

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Karan Jain

Born in the family of entrepreneurs and have inherited the same. Started building applications in order to pay for my tuition. Later founded a tech company, marketing agency, and media outlets.