5 Things You Need to Know to Get a Job in 2024

It is time to find a new job? And you want to know how to get a job in 2024.

As all the excitement and great memories from the holidays quickly fades away, it is time to face the realities of the New Year.

Not having a job or having an over-bearing job is the reality that many job seekers will have to face this New Year.

However, if your plan for 2024 is to land the job of your dreams, then I can bet that you have started the year with your best foot forward. Do you know why?

January is one of the best times to start job hunting, you don’t believe me right? A research carried out by career builder revealed that; 4 in 10 companies planned to add to their headcount in the first quarter of the year. This simply means that employers will be on the lookout for great talents to join their organizations.

At the beginning of the year is when many companies are launching new products, forming new strategies, and expanding even in terms of their physical locations which create a lot of opportunities.

So if you are searching for a job this New Year, I have good news for you; there are loads of opportunities for you ­­… But you will have to work for it.

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Just like I said earlier, employers are not just looking for candidates; employers are looking for great candidates. So, how can you become a great candidate in 2024? To become a great candidate, there are 5 things you need to know to get a job in 2024.

Are you ready for the secrets, alright lets dive in:

 

1. There are more job opportunities in the first quarter of the year

It is no longer news that the first quarter of the year is the greenest period for job seekers that look forward to getting a job. Just like we said earlier, employers are on the lookout for great talents due to different reasons.

As employees are leaving different organizations, employers are looking for new people to fill vacant positions. There are loads of opportunities this New Year.

Research by Glassdoor shows that January is the peak month for job search. The first quarter of the year is the best time to search for a job because you will have hiring seasons with full months and also with no major distractions like vacation breaks, holidays, etc.

You should know that everyone that gets a new job this year will also need to be replaced with someone else. So, take note of the fact that most of the jobs you have been dreaming of will be opening within the first quarter of the year. Interesting right?

It is good for you to start out with your job search even this January, do you know why? Let me tell you why with these statistics:

• 4 in 10 companies will be adding to the number of employees that they have (career builder)
• Job seekers will be in power (Wall Street Journal Report).
• There are more job postings   (Zip Recruiters)
• An average of 100 jobs are posted on a daily basis in January (MyJobMag)
• There is an average of 30 – 40% more job vacancies in January than in any other month of the year. (MyJobMag).

If you have not started searching for jobs this January, you still have time to do that. These hacks will help you search for jobs that will suit you this January:

Hacks

• Create a list of companies you would like to work for.
• Visit these companies’ career pages and subscribe to their newsletters.
• Get active on social media. Follow job posting sites and recruitment companies on social media to get informed about new job postings.
• Subscribe to the job posting sites newsletter to get first-hand information about new job postings.

 

Quick one; Before you apply for a job make sure you are prepared. See all you need to get prepared here.

 

2. There are more hidden jobs than you imagined

What if I told you that many of your dream jobs are hidden? How would you feel?

According to college recruiters, 80% of job openings are not advertised. Well, it is no news that many job vacancies are “hidden”. I know you may want to ask; why would an employer want to hide a job if the essence of a vacancy is to get someone to fill the position?

Yes, you are correct, but employers and companies may not post a job online for a number of reasons – while some companies don’t advertise job vacancies because of the cost of advertisement, others prefer to get candidates through referrals.

Although some of your dream jobs may be hidden, it still does not put you in a disadvantaged position. Even if these job vacancies are “hidden”, it is very possible for you to find them out.

If you are ready to dig up some of your hidden dream jobs, then you need to follow these hacks:

Hacks

• Start networking traditionally: If you have abandoned traditional networking, then it is time for you to pick it up. Start attending offline networking events like career fairs, conferences, meet-ups, submits etc. Reach out to people in your network, including family, friends, alumni connections etc. You can schedule formal meetings with your connections to discuss your career. You should consider sending messages to family and friends to inform them about your job search.

 

• Contact employers that you are interested in: If you already have a list of companies that you would love to work for, you must not wait for their job postings to appear online. You can reach out to these companies directly by visiting the office physically, making a cold call, or sending in a letter of interest.

 

• Volunteer at companies of interest: One of the fastest ways to make connections at a company is to volunteer for them. Even if there is no vacant position for the role that you want, you can also volunteer to perform another task. This will give you an opportunity to understand the company’s vision and mission. This will also give you the opportunity to get to know the employees, express your interest in working for the organization, etc.

 

• Subscribe to newsletters: You can follow companies of your interest on LinkedIn or social media networks and consider subscribing to news alerts of companies you would like to work for. This way you can get first-hand information as regards their job vacancies.

 

3. Employers are keen on experience

Every company wants to minimize costs and maximize profit. And with this, employers look forward to hiring candidates that will get right to work as soon as they are employed.

The only way an employer will know that you have the ability to do the job that you applied for is if you have some form of experience to back up your claims.

Surprising enough these days, employers expect entry-level candidates to have some form of experience in the role that they are applying for even if the experience is a short one.

Even if employers are keen on work experience these days, it is also very possible for you to land a good job even when you don’t have any experience.

Do you want to know how you can get a job without having formal experience? See these hacks

Hacks

• Volunteer to work for companies and build your experience in any job field of your dreams.
• Apply for internship positions to build your experience. Employers don’t require work experience from interns, so you can use the opportunity to build your experience while you try to get a permanent position.
• Start freelancing at your dream position. If you have managed to acquire some skills by self-teaching, then you will need validation to show that you can do what you claim that you can do. Getting a freelance gig on Upwork and Freelancer can help validate your skills.

 

4. Employers Want to See a Refined Cover Letter

There are millions of job seekers searching for the same jobs that you are searching for which makes the competition even tenser.

Research by Glassdoor revealed that in January there are 22% more job applications than in a typical month. This means that employers are getting 22% more job applications than what they will get in other months.

Since employers and recruiters are getting more job applications than what they get in regular months, then job seekers will have to put in extra effort to prove to employers that they are the best persons for the job.

Proving to a recruiter that you are the best person for the job may not be an easy thing to do, but writing a good cover letter will help you convince the recruiter that you are the best person asides from other candidates.

The cover letter gives you the opportunity to sell your skills and abilities to your prospective employer even more than what you can talk about on your CV. If you are keen on how you can refine your cover letter to land a job in 2024, then these hacks are for you.

Hacks

• Tell a story in your cover letter: employers are always after passion and determination when it comes to hiring a candidate to join their team. Refining your cover letter will give you the opportunity to tell the story about your career journey.
• Use your cover letter to illustrate why your skills and experience looks different from that of the other applicants. It’s rare that an employer gets to read an interesting story in a cover letter and not send in an interview invite.
• Make sure you tailor your cover letter to the role you are applying for. If tailoring your cover letter feels challenging to you, then you can use a cover letter template.

 

5. Employers want to hire candidates that will add value to their company

Just as you would love to work with a great company, every employer also would love to hire a candidate that would add value to their company.

So if you are a candidate that would not really add value to a company, employers will probably not like to hire you. Every employer wants a talent that is why they are called “talents” in the first place. So if landing a job is one of your dreams this New Year, then you should work your way to becoming a ‘real talent’.

According to research, 61.2% of employed Nigerians are employed because they are qualified for the jobs that they applied for. This simply means that for you to join the employed population in Nigeria; you have to be qualified for the jobs that you are applying for.

The big question here is how can you make yourself a great talent? Becoming a valuable talent is not something that jumps on you; it is something that requires great work. You make the work even easier if you follow these hacks:

Hacks

• Identify a skill gap and fill it: There are in-demand skills that are trending in the world of works and employers look forward to hiring candidates with those skills. If you look forward to getting a job in 2024 then it is time for you to start acquiring new skills.
• Make sure you are passionate about the job that you are applying for before you even send out your applications. A passionate employee will always want to put in their best into the work that they do.
• Keeping an open mind is the way that you can add value to the company. If you are open to learning, then there is a possibility that you will be putting in more of the knowledge that you acquire into the work that you do.

 

Extra Tips

6. Employers Looks Forward to Having a Real Interview 

The interview is an opportunity for you to physically tell the recruiter why you think you are the best person for the job.

If you have been allowing your interviews to ride you, then you must think about new strategies this New Year. The job interview is not a time for you to chit-chat with the recruiter or employer, but it is a time for you to show that you have the skills and abilities required to do the job.

If you have been seriously searching for jobs, chances are that you must have gotten loads of job interview invites. While you have priorities, it is important you put in the work for every job interview invite.

Most times, recruiters have lots of candidates to interview for the same position, so if you are not prepared for the interview, you will likely not be chosen even if you have the skills that the recruiter is looking for.

If you are new to the job-hunting game, and a bit scared of job interviews, then you are reading the right post. These hacks will help know how you can prepare for job interviews.

Hacks

• Carefully read and understand the job description so that you can have an idea of what is required of you.
• Research the company and role before going for the interview.
• Practice common job interview questions and answers before you go for the interview.
• Practice your speaking voice and your body language. You can use a mirror or simply talk to a friend.
• Prepare intelligent and thoughtful interview questions to ask the recruiter.
• Try conducting a mock interview with a mentor or friend.

 

Landing the jobs of your dreams can seem like a serious struggle, but with the right information at your fingertips your job search journey will be more bearing.

I know that finding job vacancies may not be an easy thing to do, that is why it is good for you to use job search sites like MyJobMag to narrow your search and take advantage of a wide range of available resources that will bring you a step closer to your dream job.

Speaking about jobs, have you seen top companies hiring this January? I don’t think so. Well, here is a list of top companies in Nigeria hiring this January.

 

Ready to begin your job search? Here is how to land a job in Nigeria today

 

Top Companies in Nigeria hiring this January

• AXA Mansard Pensions Ltd
• Central Bank of Nigeria
• KPMG
• Cross country
• Airtel Nigeria
• Oxfam Nigeria
• Stanbic IBTC
• Ikeja Electric
• Ericsson Nigeria
• WHO
• Siemens Nigeria
• FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria