How CSS Helped Me Get A Job That Fit What I Was Looking For

2021 for many professionals, is about recovery and moving forward, despite all the challenges that were experienced last year.

However, looking for a job in the current job market is not an easy task. There are certain things you, as a job seeker, need to do to ensure that you convince an employer that you are fit for the job.

In September 2020, we advertised an HR Job for our client Javiel Group Of Companies. Esther Musyoka was their preferred candidate of choice.

I spoke to Esther, who says she had been looking for a more challenging role after working at the same company for five years and experiencing the changes that came with the pandemic.

She outlined what she did and from her experience, there are certain things you can pick and use in your job search journey:

What is your professional qualification? 

I am an HR professional with over eight years of experience. I am constantly looking to grow and learn from more challenging roles. This has helped me to be versatile in various sectors within HR, and not just concentrate on one area.  

How long have you been looking for a job? 

At my previous place of work, I felt that I had achieved the goals I had set out for myself when I took over the HR role. So last year (2020), I was in that space where I was looking for opportunities and specifically, more challenging roles.

What made me intensify my job search was the fact that I was working for an NGO and with the pandemic that hit, many NGOs were restructuring. My colleagues were laid off and I wasn’t sure for how long I would have my job. Job security at that point was not guaranteed and I knew I had to look for a job, and quickly.

What has your job search experience been like?

I would say it was frustrating and good.

Good because I took the time to repackage myself and look for roles that fit within the challenges I was looking for.

It was frustrating because I would see my colleagues being retrenched, and here I was, unsure about my job. Also, my applications seemed not to be going through.

Are there any challenges you encountered in your job search process?

When I started applying for jobs, I felt qualified, but I didn’t get jobs immediately I started applying.

As job seekers, there is always that pressure and frustration when nothing seems to bear fruit and in the end, you may resort to trying anything. For example, I am in HR and could easily have tried everything that is human-resource-related without bearing in mind that companies need different people.

It is quite exhausting. But one thing I realized is that one CV can give you a job in a certain organization, and not in another, even though the role may appear similar. That’s why I took the time to repackage myself and tailor my CV, ensuring that it captured the deliverables in each job description.

Where did you hear about Corporate Staffing and the job opportunity?

I had known about Corporate Staffing since 2013 when I came for an interview and got a job.

I am in a certain Whatsapp forum where one of the members posted this job. I looked at it, saw that it was in line with what I was looking for and I immediately applied.

How was the application and interview process?

I learned that however long a job advertisement is running, it is mostly the first bird who catches the worm. The same day that job was posted is the same day I saw it and applied.

What I loved about the entire process was that there was consistency.

Did you think you would get the job?

From the word go, the recruiter was open about the terms and conditions. Everything was clear and all the information was given. Throughout the process, I felt good.

Many professionals are looking for a fresh start this year in their careers. What would your advice to them be?

We are in a pandemic and people have gotten jobs right from last year. So don’t get discouraged. Look at how you have packaged yourself and what you want to achieve. Have a winning mentality.