In troubling times of high unemployment and job layoffs due to the global economic downturn caused by Covid19, it will be more important than ever for professionals who are educated and experienced to have an even more perfect CV and LinkedIn profile and be even more exemplary so you can truly shine and stand out for your next upcoming job interview. Competition is higher than ever!?
Use this precious time wisely to hone in on your career and gain new insights into what really makes you tick? Learn, read more, engage and reflect about who you really are. Know for yourself what you are truly good at? Be able to answer the question, “what do you dislike doing today?”
Now, is actually a great opportunity to polish up your CV and your LinkedIn page, evaluate and learn about your true nature and think about examples in your career that were the most fulfilling and why? There are some great tools like the StrengthsFinder by Gallup which is a simple test to uncover your top talents. There is also the famous MBTI personality test. With the results, you can incorporate them into your CV now and use them in your job interview when you get the question, «What are your strengths?»
As a career coach and head hunter, who has interviewed thousands of people and helped them get hired, I strongly recommend using this valuable time while you are in a slow work period, working from home or receiving unemployment benefits, to polish up your resume and hone in on your interviewing skills and dream a new job. Only the super ready confident, shining stars will be hired.
Here is a list of sources to target your new dream job:
Job websites in Belgium
- Monster.com (international companies)
- Stepstone.com (job portal)
- Academicjobseu.com (jobs in academia/research)
- Epso.europa.eu (jobs in European Union)
- www.interviewnow.be (career coaching)
- Vacature.be (Belgian job portal)
- Indeed.com (global job portal)
- LinkedIn.com (social network)
- Brussels Jobs (English speakers)
- Xpatjobs.eu (tools for job search)
- Actiris.brussels
- Leforem.be (wallonie job portal and government supported)
- Eurograduate
- Onlysalesjob.com (sales jobs)
- Jobat.be (job portal Belgium)
- Learn4good.com (all sectors, blue collar)
- Graduateland.com (for graduates)
- www.jellow.be (for freelancers)
Enjoy scouting the job market and target jobs that seem exciting to you and make your heart sing. Don’t let any barriers stand in the way. Just dream. And then slowly, you can set up a plan to evaluate if this job is obtainable? Can you use this time to follow an eLearning course? Can you buy a book which is related to the subject? Can you reach out to your old network and conduct some informational casual interviews? Can you work with a career coach?
Here is a short homework assignment you can complete during this unknown period in a changing employment market? Write down answers to these top 5 top interview questions for that dream job you just found on the web:
- Tell me about yourself?
- What is your work experience which is related to this job?
- What are your strengths/weaknesses?
- What is your motivation?
- Do you have any questions?
Instead of panicking now, re-focus, learn, adjust and be constructive while you profit from having a more relaxed work schedule since many years in your career. Most importantly, keep your confidence and remain positive. Almost all our insecurities and worries teach us important lessons and help us grow and evolve.
You just have to be ready to listen and observe what those may be inside of you? A known and important lesson in any path to personal and professional development is this one: What you think is what you will attract!