Tips for applying for jobs in 2021
Whether it’s a pandemic time or not, life goes on.
As many people would tell you, life is better when you have a job!
Over the course of the last year, the Caribbean has been subjected to job layoffs, company closures, government lockdowns and restrictions. Economic prospects within the region seem uncertain.
For job hunters, gone are the days of finishing school, sending applications and waiting for employers to call.
Companies have become understandably more strategic with their hiring practices. As such, as a modern job seeker, your strategies must also be upgraded.
Best tips for applying for a job
When applying for a job, some of the information and advice is timeless. Proper interview etiquette, well-written cover letter and resume, assertive demeanor and a great first impression can never go wrong.
To give yourself a competitive edge when searching for a job, there are resources that you can leverage to position yourself as the best candidate and secure whatever opportunities come your way.
Be the most knowledgeable candidate
General recruiter’s advice would tell you to research the company. Look at their core values, corporate goals, mission statement, familiarise yourself with their products and management hierarchy. This advice is still relevant. Nowadays however, to be the best candidate means being the most prepared candidate.
Having knowledge about the company is great. It shows interest and that you retain information well. Contemporary recruiters need more than this. They need problem-solvers. Modern organisations are seeking people who can adapt to a situation, evaluate the problem, devise multiple possible solutions, weigh the pros and cons and propose the best strategy.
Be the problem-solver in the room
How does this apply to job seekers? The job description of a vacancy is more than just a list of responsibilities you will be performing. Consider carefully the skills they ask for and what responsibilities are assigned to that position. If they ask for customer service skills to perform customer-centric tasks, this could mean they encounter issues with irate customers or customer retention and require a professional to alleviate these problems.
Therefore, when researching the company, you’re doing more than looking for information. You’re assessing the challenges they face, what they expect when hiring you and ways you can meet those expectations. When conducting the interview, it is critical that you don’t just describe your experience. Talk problems! What did you solve? How did you resolve an issue? What was the end result? What did you learn from it? The recruiter needs this type of information. Be the candidate who is the problem-solver!
Leverage your digital resources.
Being a 21st century job seeker, you have an abundance of resources you can leverage to gain skills, knowledge and opportunities. Get on LinkedIn. Utilise your social media profiles to announce to your network that you’re job hunting. Follow social media pages of companies whom you’d like to work for, so you can spot vacancies.
Platforms such as LinkedIn also has features where you can filter jobs based on company or industry. It also provides insight into who the recruiters are in certain companies. These features allow you to network with the right, specific set of people you need to. Even if there are no present vacancies in their companies, connecting with these individuals provides industry insights and strategies on landing a job within their field.
You don’t have to wait for a networking event to meet people and grow your contact base. From the comfort of your home, you can connect, message, build relationships, post ideas, create your own content, seek new knowledge and learn new skills. In these times where content is king and data is valuable as gold, seek to build, learn, create and develop yourself into the candidate modern companies need.
Capitalise on Job sites
Another advantage of the internet is the availability to job sites that advertise career opportunities in niche markets. Across the Caribbean, a prominent resource in this area is CaribbeanJobs.com. This online resource offers countless career opportunities, from an extensive list of small, medium and large organisations. Opportunities across multiple Caribbean territories are regularly posted.
On the CaribbeanJobs site, job seekers can access job descriptions, companies’ profiles and available vacancies to determine if a particular opportunity is right for them. Being a leading and valuable recruiting tool, job hunters have access to a multitude of benefits on CaribbeanJobs.com:
- Opportunities across islands.
Not finding an opportunity you like? Thinking of switching jobs across the region? No problem! CaribbeanJobs.com allows users to browse multiple opportunities across the Caribbean!
- Different sectors
CaribbeanJobs.com caters for a wide variety of career opportunities. Job seekers can locate jobs in corporate environments such as HR, Marketing, Management, Sales or Administration. Specialised opportunities can be found in Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Legal, Maritime, Education or Logistics. Technical, hard-skilled opportunities can be found across Engineering, Medicine, Information Technology, Energy or Accounting. Creative opportunities in Beauty, Culinary Arts, Horticulture, Digital Marketing and Sport.
- Career Advice information
Trends and knowledge on the current Caribbean job market as well as pertinent strategies on seeking and securing a job within the region.
- Educational Resources
Programs, qualifications and courses offered by accredited institutions around the region.
- Offers Caribbean entrepreneurs opportunities to advertise their vacancies and acquire human talent.
- User friendly.
Career opportunities across the Caribbean are categorised as permanent, temporary or contract on a part-time, full-time or freelance.
Biggest Industries in the Caribbean
Typically, the region has been internationally renowned for tourism and it’s paradise on earth appeal. While the global pandemic has affected this greatly, other important industries in the Caribbean include:
- Agriculture
- Information Technology
- Mining
- Energy
- Financial Services
- Manufacturing/Distribution
- Media
- Telecommunications
- Health & Safety
- Fitness
- Sport
High-demand jobs in Caribbean in 2021
Within these growing industries, in-demand jobs include:
- Healthcare professional
- Marketing & Communications staff
- Sales executives
- Information Technology staff
- Accounting/Bookkeepers
- Financial Consultants
- Telecommunications staff
- Agri-business
- Entrepreneurship
Benefits of working in the Caribbean
Working in the Caribbean, particularly in high demand industries has its advantages, especially compared to other parts of the world:
- Opportunities for CARICOM nationals – no longer restricted to national borders, CARICOM offers careers across territories within the region which individuals can capitalise on.
- Favourable, warm weather conditions
- Low cost of living compared to large metropolitan cities abroad
- World class business facilities & comfortable living conditions,
- Stable road & transportation systems,
- Sound technological infrastructure and inter-island connectivity.
- Rich cultures, vibrant lifestyles and picturesque landscapes
