In the midst of a job search, life can get chaotic. It is up to the job seeker to strike a perfect balance. She must remain a go-getter and a self-reflector; he needs to be confident yet humble.
Recruiters hope to find new employees who compliment the company’s ideal and will grow into its culture. If a job candidate comes off as over confident, he or she may be disqualified because the recruiter doesn’t see openness to growth. Employers are looking for new hires that take advice and are willing to learn.
A study reports that 56 percent of job applicants say they have traits employers look for, but only 15 percent of hiring managers feel candidates perfectly fit their job descriptions. Thankfully, this balance can be evened out with a little humility.
While you should have a good measure of self-confidence going into a job search, also recognize that landing a job may come from remaining humble throughout the process.
3 Guidelines for Remaining Humble in the Job Search
1. Seek Advice
Having a mentor can be a gift to an aspiring professional. Mentors know a lot about life and business. They are often willing to bestow this advice on professionals who ask for it. If you don’t have a mentor in your life, seek the advice of a recruiter. Recruiters bridge relationships between job seekers and employers. A great reward of this job is to see successful relationships form. For this reason, they are happy to offer advice for those who want to appropriately navigate the business world.
2. Let Your Personality Shine
It can be tempting to let the accomplishments of your résumé speak for itself. But this stagnant document only resembles a fraction of who you are. Knowing where you went to school, past accolades, and former employers is a nice introduction, but an employer is especially interested to know who you are and what you’re going to bring to the company. Since your personality is your most unique attribute, let it shine in all correspondence (as long as it remains professional and polished). Companies are eager to build strong company cultures which do not derive from college degrees but come only from their employees’ personalities.
3. Be Willing to Learn
Learning is a lifelong practice. Even people who have been in business for decades know there is more to learn. This is why many people don’t care for a “know-it-all.” If you come across as a person who doesn’t need help, advice, instruction or input from others, you can seem closed off. This is a hurdle many people struggle with, but overcoming the business obstacle is easy. Begin by asking questions, seeking advice and requesting input from others. There are many ways to show that you are open to learning. It starts with asking other people to share what they know.
A job search is humbling. Often times, repeated rejection can cause a person to question their talents, skills and traits. But instead of using these as instruments for self-pity, let them shine through your personality. While you should remain confident, also show that you are hungry for knowledge and eager to receive advice. These are the traits employers look for. Confidence is great, but humility might just get you the job.
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