Author: Codrin PO

Some guy who writes about what comes to mind, but mostly about epilepsy and his private life.
Career counseling · Old blog

Career counseling #13 : what to do when you`re rejected

Codrin PO

Greg is back.

He is still job hunting, but things are improving. A couple of weeks ago, he gave computerized tests (logic, creative, personality, technical etc.) for a job in the public sector, as a director of … something. It`s a very long title in an institution with a very long name so I cannot say it even if I was trying to remember it.

Unfortunately, he failed those tests. He passed 31 of the 33 tests that he took. Yes…33 tests (in one day). It was a very long day for him.download

He also had a job interview over Skype for a policy research position in the non-governmental sector. He had a few problems with the connection: his webcam didn`t work, the sound on his side wasn`t great. He couldn`t her perfectly some of the questions so he started rambling about things not related to it. Despite of these setbacks, Greg believed that the interview went great and he waited and waited (…and waited) for a response (negative or positive) and feedback on the interview. He didn`t receive it (so far). Continue reading “Career counseling #13 : what to do when you`re rejected” →

Career counseling · Old blog

Career counseling #12: the application e-mail

Codrin PO

If you do a Google search on how to write the “perfect” cover letter, you’ll probably see articles saying that the cover letter is obsolete. This would be because most employers prefer to read a perfectly crafted email in which you could explain the same things as in the cover letter.

I quite agree with this up to a point. The e-mail is extremely important, but so is the cover letter.download

Situation 1:

– you apply for job X at company Y. The email address to send your application is hr@ycompany.com. In this case, you should focus on the cover letter. In a generalist email like this, nobody will read the text in the body of the message. Don’t bother with it.

Situation 2:

– you apply for job X at company Y. The email address to send your application is director.x@ycompany.com. In this case, you have the semi-private email address of the person in charge of the recruitment. Focus on both the cover letter and the email. The person might not download the cover letter or stop to read your email. You should cover all bases because of this. Continue reading “Career counseling #12: the application e-mail” →

Career counseling · Old blog

Career counseling #11: No option (what to do when you`re unemployed for years)

Codrin PO

Greg has a friend called James. After a great start in his career and with a great education, James suddenly lost his job (last year) and is currently on unemployment aid.

He has searched for something for over six months, but, because he`s too pretentious, he hasn’t found anything. He is now searching jobs simpler and paid less than his previous one. He took out things from his resume.

James doesn’t know where to search anymore.

What you should do if you have been unemployed for a long period (months, years) is to find an alternative. HOW TO FIND THE ALTERNATIVE?

Career counseling · Old blog

Career counseling #10: The cover letter

Codrin PO

There are thousands of templates on the web, all for the “perfect cover letter”. You can find templates for different jobs, different fields. But, in principle, they all look the same. Your name and address on the left, the employer`s name and address on the right, the date on which you are sending it just below and that “Dear Mr/Mrs.” right there.

The paragraphs all look the same. The first one is short telling where you saw the job. The second is that you are perfect for the job because you studied this and you worked on that. The third, well, is weird. You keep going on and on about your experience, trying to explain everything. And, then, you`re using it for all your applications.

And this is completely WRONG.

Here is what you should do. READ MORE TO SEE THE “CATCH” AT THE END.

Career counseling · Old blog

Career counseling #9: Greg`s offers

Codrin PO1 Comment

Another crossroad in the life of a graduate or that of an unemployed person is receiving the offer. You smile, scream and say that you`re saved.

But what happens when you receive two (or more) offers? In Greg`s case, the problem was that he had to choose between a well-paid, but meaningless, hateful job and a job that he would love, but with far less money. After months of receiving unemployment aid and barely able to surface, he had a very tough choice ahead.

Greg thought about it, weighing advantages and disadvantages, creating SWOTs and everything that a person who has a choice in front of it will do. READ MORE!