Applying for a new job can be an exciting and stressful time. There are many things to do before applying for any position; some steps that you should take in order to get the most out of your next interview. Here is a list of important steps to take before applying for a new job.
Update Your Resume
Update your resume and cover letter with any new skills or accomplishments you have gained since your last application.
The first thing you should do is make sure that your resume and cover letter are updated with any new skills or accomplishments you’ve obtained in the time between when you applied for a job and now.
Show that you’ve been learning, building skills, and making progress in the interim period. For example: “Applied for a new position at XYZ Company after receiving my degree from ABC University.” Or: “In between jobs, I took courses in advanced marketing techniques as well as digital advertising campaigns through Coursera’s MOOCs platform.”
There are several reasons why this is important. First off, it shows employers that you’re invested in your own professional development and proactive about job searching. Second of all, updating your resume with accomplishments or projects will allow you to present yourself not just as someone who performs tasks but also the bigger-picture impact they have had on their employer.
Get A Pre Employment Medical Assessment
Before applying for any new job you should always get a pre-employment medical assessment. This can be done in two ways; either by visiting your personal physician or with an employer-sponsored health care provider on company premises.
When it comes to costs, your location matters. For instance; Pre employment medicals in Brisbane are much cheaper than in Sydney. This assessment should not be longer than two visits – one initial appointment where all necessary tests will be conducted on-site with only minimal blood sampling (except when there is a need for extra precautions due to risk factors such as HIV/ AIDS), and one follow-up.
One of the things that will happen at this meeting is to have all current prescriptions and over-the-counter medications reviewed, recorded, and then most likely discarded before beginning employment. Be sure to bring copies of all reports from recent screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies if they are not already saved digitally somewhere else (from previous years).
The most important reason for this step is to identify any conditions or illnesses which may interfere with your ability to do the job, and also ensure you can maintain steady work hours without overexerting yourself. For instance; if you have an asthma condition it’s likely that the office environment will trigger attacks so being aware of this beforehand will save time for both parties to find another candidate who doesn’t suffer from these allergies.
In addition, it is sometimes prudent for them not to hire new staff with potential liabilities (i.e. those who are pregnant) because they could potentially place additional burdens on the company’s resources and pose increased risks for employment-related injuries.
Create An Updated List of References
List out the names and contact information of your most recent former employers. This should include their email address, phone number, and mailing address if they no longer have an email account or updated website.
This list can be compiled as a Word document with one entry per line so that it’s easy to read in order from top to bottom for quick scanning when you need to find someone quickly. Just make sure there are at least two columns – one for the name, another next column where the contact info is listed. No more than three lines per reference (so if you’ve had five previous jobs then all but your current employer will go on this list).
If any contacts get outdated over time due to changes in company ownership, business strategies, or the closure of their website, update your list accordingly.
Once you’ve compiled this list, make sure that it’s stored electronically on a computer file with an easily identifiable name so that anyone looking for information about you can find all of these references in one place.
A good way to do this is by naming the document something like “References” and saving it as a Word doc in Documents on your desktop (or wherever else you keep your files). This will ensure that at least everyone knows where to go if they need contact info for former employers who are no longer publicly accessible online otherwise. You should also save hard copies of any printed versions – either in a binder or folder neatly filed away somewhere safe.
Go Shopping For Appropriate Clothes
One of the most important things to do when preparing for a job interview is to get appropriate clothes. This may sound strange, but it’s true! There are many people who will judge you based on your appearance before they even know what kind of person you are so make sure that you have nice clothing.
A suit or blouse and skirt depending on gender, dress shoes (not sneakers), hair fixed nicely (women should wear makeup if desired), and be clean-shaven/waxed (men). It doesn’t matter how qualified someone is with their skillset – if they show up in casual slacks while everyone else has tailored suits then there’s going to be some sort of bias against them from the interviewer. Make these preparations ahead of time and it won’t be as stressful on the day of your interview.
Research Companies Beforehand
Research things like salaries and benefits packages before applying for jobs that interest you – this ensures that when a company offers an offer of employment with them, there are no surprises in terms of salary or benefits package.
Focus on specifics such as how many weeks of vacation they have available per year, maternity leave policies (if applicable), health insurance coverage options offered by employer-sponsored plans…etcetera! What may look like a good fit from afar can be completely different up close so do not rely solely on the company’s website to help you determine if it is a fit for your needs.
This may seem like a lot of work, but it will be worth the time and effort. Once you’ve got your new resume in order, make sure to update your cover letter with any skills or accomplishments that are relevant for this position. Make an appointment at a nearby medical assessment center so they can evaluate your physical abilities before starting any job search. Create an updated list of references who know about both your professional and personal life; these people should be able to provide insights into what kind of employee you are as well as some potential challenges that might come up on the job. Go shopping for appropriate clothes if you don’t have anything suitable to wear during interviews or while working at this company. Finally, research companies before applying.