22Sep

Interview Secrets: 5 Tips For Candidates Looking For Jobs In 2020. 

Getting an Interview is a very important step in your job search journey and a great opportunity for you to impress the HR team and direct employers. Companies have unique interview formats, for some you meet the HR team first, then the direct hiring department before a senior management interview, all tackling different stages of the process, from technical to culture fit. 

You have to be prepared at every stage of the Interview to answer questions that test different things. Preparation is very essential and with so many great candidates currently available as a result of job losses from the pandemic. 

Some of these tips are evergreen but in 2020 with the rise in the number of virtual interviews, there are some new tips focused on things we believe at TalentScout that will help you excel and stand out during interviews,

Tip 1: Whether virtual or face to face, your appearance matters a lot: Dress smartly in a business attire. A jacket for men, a tie where possible. A nice dress, shirt or even a jacket for women. There is no reason for your hair not to be properly brushed because its a virtual interview

Tip 2: Do your homework on the company that is interviewing you and the people you will be meeting: I interviewed a candidate for business development recently that did not understand what products the company they wanted to join sold or how they would fit into the company. As a sales or business development person, you have to come up with 3-5 strategies for growing business that you will pitch during your interview. Imagine that you are already in the company and position yourself that way.   There is no excuse for a candidate possessing little or no information about the company with whom they are interviewing.

Tip 3: Take Advantage of Digital Tools During A Virtual Interview: I have conducted so many Zoom interviews in the last few months and very few candidates have taken advantage of the power of digital tools during interviews. One candidate that wowed us during the interview created a presentation that had snippets of his his bio, success and strategies he had come up with for the company. Not only was he hired but he got the salary he was looking for. There are so many roles available right now but few candidates are willing to take the time to tailor their pitch to solve the need of companies hiring. A lot of people are just playing the sentimental game without doing the actual work. 

Tip 4: Be prepared to ask questions and to answer questions: Before your interview, come up with 20 possible questions the interviewer may ask you and create customised answers for each question that way you are prepared. 

Questions are usually divided into role specific competency questions testing job fit; strengths, weaknesses and past achievements assessment; culture fit questions, etc. Also come up with some questions you plan to ask the interviewer related to the technical sides of the role, the company culture and future development of the company. Aim to leave the interviewer with a good impression. Avoid getting relaxed too early during the interview and becoming unprofessional because you notice you are from the same nationality or tribe with the interviewer. 

Tip 5: Be smarter about negotiating your salary: It’s important to know your worth, understand the company’s capabilities as well as pay attention to the effects of the pandemic. A lot of companies have approached me to find candidates for them on lesser salaries but at the same time, lots of companies are still hiring candidates at pre-covid 19 salary levels or higher. The most important thing you need to do is do your research, show your value and give a great impression during the interview. 

There are so many tips but this 5 are a good first start. TalentScout is always hiring so if you know any Optometrists; Dental Nurses; Sales Engineers with experience with Instrumentation or AMC sales, please send to service@talentscout.global. If you need to get your resume or Linkedin optimised as well, reach out to my team. Its a paid service but we have a fantastic offer running. 

21Sep

Talentscout Hosts Webinar On ‘Standing Out In A Crowded Job Market

Talentscout Hosts Webinar On ‘Standing Out In A Crowded Job Market: CV, Linkedin and Interview Tips’

Talentscout Global is very passionate about providing value to our clients and candidates through recruitment, learning and development.

We are excited to announce our upcoming Webinar titled ‘Standing Out In A Crowded Job Market: CV, Linkedin and Interview Tips’.

The webinar will be hosted by our CEO Manju Iyer and the special guest will be UK based HR Specialist, Visibility Strategist, Certified Master NLP Practitioner and award-winning International TEDx Speaker, Michelle Raymond.

Michelle will be delving deeply into the topic providing tested tips that job seekers and even people looking to change jobs can begin to apply.

Michelle is a respected and in-demand business coach, keynote speaker and authority on how to use strategic networking in an impactful way. With a unique ability to transform, improve and develop the skills of people through coaching, consultations and bespoke training, Michelle’s coaching and HR expertise has been featured in People Management, HR Grapevine, The Guardian, Housekeeping Magazine, The BBC and Sky TV.

Date: September 30th, 2020
Time: 1- 2 pm Dubai time.

29Jun

Getting a job as an African In The UAE

Finding a job in Dubai is the dream of many ex-pats who come on holiday and sometimes it feels like nothing is working. Don’t get depressed, we share some tips on finding a job in Dubai.

Tip 1 for finding a job in Dubai.

#Dubai is one of the few cities where you can visit as a tourist and become a part of the workforce really fast. When applying for a Visa, do not listen to Visa agents saying they will have a job waiting for you when you arrive and make you pay exorbitant fees for Visa. This is usually not true. The best way to get a job in Dubai is to come on a 3 months visiting visa, make sure your resume is up to date and filled with the right keywords and then you start applying for jobs.

Finding a job in Dubai

Tip 2 for finding a job in Dubai.

Get a Dubai standard resume. When you are applying for a job in a new country, you need to find out about resume formats, resume styles, resume length and the right industry keywords for the job you are qualified for. You are a brand and your resume should reflect this brand. This brand might have to face a recruiter with lots of other resumes or pass through a machine test. A great resume should summarise and highlight your strengths, skills and experience in a way that grabs the attention of the recruiter. He or she spends seconds skimming through hundreds of resumes – make sure yours can stand out in a matter of seconds.

Tip 3 for finding a job in Dubai.

Find out twenty keywords for the industry you are applying to and use them in your resume. In countries like Dubai, a lot of companies use machines/ATS to do a first level evaluation of resumes and the machines look out for related job keywords. Sometimes you don’t name a particular section of your resume properly and the machine totally misses it. Find the right keywords and the required experience before you apply for a job to avoid getting ignored for a long time.

We recommend working on your Cv and drinking a nice protein smoothie

Tip 4 for finding a job in Dubai.

Keep your resume to one page for lower level roles, two pages for mid management roles and two-three pages for executive management roles. There are software and specialist resume professionals that can help you do achieve this. Send an email to dubaijobpro@gmail.com and ask for a free resume evaluation for Dubai. Add the tag #NigeriansInDubai.

Tip 5 for finding a job in Dubai.

Apply for jobs on the right platforms. Indeed.ae is a great platform for finding jobs in Dubai and the UAE with new verified roles. There are other platforms like MonsterJobs, NaukriGulf, GulfTalent and Linkedin. Sometimes you are checking fake job posting platforms and applying for stale jobs.

Tip 6 for finding a job in Dubai.

Network, network and network. Every person you meet is an opportunity to sell your value. From a random taxi driver to the person you sit beside in the train. Did you now that over 296 million people have used public transportation in Dubai in 2019 already, I bet a lot of your potential employers were part of these people. Find people on Linkedin, ask your friends in Nigeria to introduce you to their colleagues at the Dubai branch of their company, target a global company with an office in Dubai and find a contact there. Research and find places where people in a particular sector hangout and hangout there. Become like a “secret spy” and gather information but this time for your life. Personal introductions actually go a long way in Dubai so try and get a personal introduction to help you through the door.

Tip 7 for finding a job in Dubai.

Be conscious of neglected skills. Sometimes there are opportunities that are not in direct line with what you have been doing but through your normal work you have acquired those skills and they can become your source of revenue in Dubai. There are a lot of soft skills that are on demand in Dubai and you need to be ready to take advantage of them. Sometimes you might have to take a lesser role in a global company in your path to greatness but don’t be discouraged, once you have some Dubai or middle east experience it opens you up for other jobs. There is such a thing as “Dubai Experience” and employers value it a lot. Your first job might just be a way for you to gain experience.

These are some quick tips on finding a job in Dubai! Good luck

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