Sunday Journal: My First Entry

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"Hi there, my name is Zach, I'm a recruiter in the only Grand-Duchy in the world, Luxembourg."

That right there, is how I start most of my LinkedIn messages to potential candidates I contact for job opportunities. Although most people I contact are not actively seeking new opportunities, most are interested in at least seeing a job description.

I've helped a few people embark on new adventures, people who have more years of professional experience than I have years of experience on this Earth. A fair share of connections have also reached out to me, most of them friends, to ask for help finding a job. Even though I was not able to offer them job opportunities (as I mostly recruit for very specific and experienced IT positions), I always offered to take a look at their CV and cover letter to give them some feedback. I'm by no means an expert, but at this point, I've seen quite a few CV's and Cover Letters to know the basic do's and don'ts.

Three weeks ago, I was in Munich to visit some friends. I met with one of my former classmates to catch up, and he told me he was struggling to find work. Luckily, he had his computer with him, so we went over his CV together to make some changes. The main obstacle, he said, was that he was young and didn't have 'real' work experience. Personally, I could relate to that. Before I was hired at The Recruiter as a Talent Acquisition Consultant, I too was struggling to find work because of my lack of professional expertise. I had interviewed at so many places, prepared for each interview, and even made it to the very last round at one of the Big Four's back home in Ottawa, only to be told I wasn't chosen because the other candidate had more experience.

The bottom line is that you need to differentiate yourself from other candidates, and if it isn't by your experiences, it should be by your attitude, mindset, your story, or even by the questions you ask. Be memorable.

That's when I told my friend that, while experience is important, it is not the MOST important. What is key, is how you can translate the experiences that you have, whatever they may be, into how it relates to the job you are applying for. You need to be confident in your skills and capabilities, remember that interviews are a chance to 'sell' yourself. You may not agree or like to say that, but it's true. The bottom line is that you need to differentiate yourself from other candidates, and if it isn't by your experiences, it should be by your attitude, mindset, your story, or even by the questions you ask. Be memorable.

[...] by putting forth the best version of ourselves, doors will eventually open.

While I was on vacation on the beach in Positano, Italy, last weekend, I received a call from that friend. He had just received a job offer from the company he had applied to a few weeks earlier when we had met in Munich. I was ecstatic! Despite the fact that I've placed candidates in some highly skilled positions, there was something even more satisfying about helping this friend get an entry-level job. It reflected my own situation, and how I was able to overcome the challenges that came with limited work experience. It showed that by putting forth the best version of ourselves, doors will eventually open.

As young professionals, all we ask for is an opportunity to prove ourselves. Some of us don't really know what we like doing, or even what we are good at, but we promise that we will give it all we've got and learn in the process.

If you've read this far, thank you. I figured that since I'm on LinkedIn during the week searching for candidates for my clients, I could use it on weekends to share with you some advice, and share my story. Don't hesitate to leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Zach Traer is a Talent Acquisition Consultant at THE RECRUITER in Luxembourg. Originally from Chelsea, Québec (Canada), Zach is passionate about basketball, personal development, and the World. Follow him on instagram @zachtraer & his travel page @WorldWanderersInc