For many people, a new year always comes with a renewed effort to get that dream job you have always wished for. Securing a new job is part of the New Year’s resolutions for most young people.

As years go by, the nature of the jobs we do keeps evolving, requiring us to fine tune ourselves to what the current job market requires. Those who don’t regularly update their skills and competences are left behind.

Today’s employers require different things in prospective employees and they will also look out for those qualities whenever they are hiring.

As you continue to look around, remember there are certain techniques to make you stand out from the crowd when potential employers are assessing who to hire.

The tips below, suggested by experts, can help you succeed in a competitive job market and make employers pick you out of the hundreds who applied.

Know your career goals

The first thing you are required to do is to identify what type of career you want. This is particularly important for people entering the workforce for the first time or changing careers.

Don’t let the desperate situation lead you into areas you don’t have passion for. The first thing employers look for is passion and if it is not your inherent career, they will not see that thing in you.

Make sure you have a clear and realistic career goal driven by passion, determine how you plan to reach it and work on things that qualify you for that career path.

The start might be hard but what awaits you ahead will be more rewarding.

Planning ahead works

Job hunting is not just for the sake of job hunting. Organize yourself and your schedule to search for jobs more efficiently. Determine how many hours per day or what days of the week you will dedicate to job hunting or networking.

Make sure your CV and other documents are up to date. You can find tips online on how to write cover letters and an impressive resume. Remember to regularly update your references and contacts.

Similarly, update your profile on professional networking websites like LinkedIn and outline the different places you want to apply. Opportunity meets the well-prepared.

Check out online job portals

You will be surprised that the ideal job you are looking for is out there online but you are probably not aware. Today, most organisations prefer advertising jobs with renowned job portals or on their websites.

Regularly check out job portals such as www.kora.rw, www.jobinrwanda.com, www.rwandajob.com and www.ndangira.net, among others.

Alternative, check out the ‘Vacancies’ section on institutional or corporate websites. Rather than limiting yourself to manual online searches, take advantage of all job search options.

Job search engines are vital when it comes to finding openings on job boards, company websites, professional associations and more. Sign up for daily or weekly job alerts by email and you never know where the opportunity might come from.

Do some background research on employers

As earlier mentioned, you have to be intentional and focused when searching for your ideal job. Look out for job listings that interest you and research about the hiring companies before applying.

This can provide you with information about their company culture, benefits and salary range, products and services and work environment. Your research will tell you whether you want to or are qualified to work for that company. It also gives you valuable information you can reference in your cover letter or interview.

Work on your confidence

Today, most employers are looking for confidence in employees. Your qualifications alone are not enough. Apply for jobs you are interested in even if you only meet some of their requirements.

Depending on the position, employers might hire motivated individuals who exude confidence and can learn quickly, over academically qualified individuals who lack the said qualities.

A confident person can be easily given skills training on the job even if they don’t fully meet the job’s qualifications, as long as the employer believes in them.

It is therefore important to work on your confidence, public speaking skills and personality as you continue to look around.