The Pre-Application Process

Over time, applying for jobs has become pretty straightforward.

You see a job that interests you in a company you do not mind working for, you send out your resume showing how your skills and work history have prepared you to be a good fit for that job, and then you wait to see if the employer will agree that you are indeed a good candidate by inviting you for an interview.

Sometimes it works out and you are called for an interview. Sometimes, it doesn’t. Then the cycle starts again until one of those applications turns into an employment offer.

While the process has been refined over many, many years of employee/employer relationships, starting from when candidates used to apply with letters in the post to nowadays when an email or your LinkedIn profile would do the job, there is another process that should occur before you send that application.

I call it the ‘Pre-application Process’ – a Self- Audit.

Taking a self-audit involves mentally connecting yourself with your job search such that it isn’t just an act of following the well-trodden path from school to job. It becomes a process of understanding how your combination of talents, skills, values, experiences, habits, and personality, come into play when considering whether the job you are thinking of applying for is right for you.

Whether it’s your first job or your next job, the pre-application process demands that you find answers to the questions:

Who am I? The Person Question

What do I have to offer? The ‘Problem I Solve’ Question

What does this organization I want to apply to mean for my career? The Purpose Question

The Person Question

If you’re someone who is passionate about things like girl child education, youth empowerment, or renewable energy, you are more likely to be attracted to a company that is making some impact in those areas. Or you may someone who has an outgoing personality and loves being around people. Jobs that are customer facing like sales or customer service roles would appeal more to you.

You can use tools like the SWOT Analysis or personality tests like DISC (Speaking to four personality categories – Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness) to get more clarity.?

The ‘Problem I Solve’ Question

Granted, not many people know at the beginning of their career journey exactly what it is that they want to do, at least, not with absolute certainty. They need to discover it.

However, there are general qualities that each person has that can add value to a business at the different stages of their careers. It is where the KSAs, Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude intersect.

• Entry Level (0 to 2 years experience) – Energetic, Eager to learn, Teachable, Digital native.
• Junior Level (3 – 5 years’ experience) – Driven, Collaborative, Innovative, Flexible.
• Mid-Level (6 – 8 years’ experience) – Leadership, Well-Skilled, Sound knowledge, beginning to display Strategy orientation.
• Senior Level (10+ years experience) - Subject Matter Expert, Highly Influential, Complex thinking, Strategy orientation.

The Purpose Question

Stephen Covey, in his best-selling book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” lists it as habit #2 which is “Start with the End in Mind”.

What purpose do you want the job to serve in your life at the stage you are in? Pay bills? Expand your competencies? Manage a team? Job satisfaction? Building your work experience? More time for personal pursuits?

For instance, if it’s about gaining work experience, then you may choose not to be too particular about how big the company’s brand is, only that it be a place that you would be happy to list on your resume. If you want more flexibility or personal time you may prefer a remote role, so, if the job doesn’t mention anything about a work-from-home option, you may not be inclined to take it.

According to a study conducted by Gettysburg College, we spend about one-third of our lives working. It makes sense that we spend it doing work that adds value to our lives!

On July 12, 2022, Toyin Talks Talent (T3) will be 2! Thank you for all your support and for engaging with our content. We look forward to doing more in the years to come!

For more career stories go to my blog, https://toyintalkstalent.wordpress.com/

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SWOT image – interview-lab.ch

DISC image – extensionaus.com.au

KSA image – quora.com?