Time to apply for a job - the professional tips

Yepstr is Sweden's best arena for youth jobs. Taking assignments via our app introduces young people to working life. We brought in a recruitment professional who reveals what is most important when you are looking for a job.Going to high school with a backpack full of work experience will help you in future recruitment processes. We can guarantee that. But applying for a job is a struggle, and it can still be tricky to land that first "real" job after high school. Yepstr is there to give young people all the tools they need to succeed in working life.Therefore, we decided to ask Kathinka Evers some questions. Kathinka is a Consultant Manager at Academic Work, and has a close eye on everything that belongs to recruitment. We talked about what she is looking for during a recruitment process, and what to really think about when applying for a job as a young person.

The extra job is only a few applications away

Hi Kathinka, thank you for taking the time!

What is most important to you as a recruiter when you receive an application from a young person?

When the experience is not so long, the most important thing is that the candidate can "compensate" for it with a strong motivation as to why he has applied for this particular position. That you see a commitment and drive in the candidate that can create value in the service. Especially if the position is long-term, it is often more important to see the potential of the candidate, rather than the competence the person currently possesses. I also think it is important that the candidate shows openness and curiosity before learning new things. It is also important that a young candidate is fearless and can get more senior colleagues to think new / modern and challenge them in work routines.

What is the significance of previous work experience?

Relevant experience in the field will shorten the starting distance during the introduction to the new job. It can also add very good perspective and input from a person who has worked in the same industry. I often experience that companies want to incorporate innovation into their teams. A person with relevant experience but who has not worked for them will probably have good and new perspectives on what the work should look like.Nothing to put on the CV? Get started Yepstr today!

What is most important experience or personality?

This of course depends on, if the need is short and it is a specific project that is to be implemented, it will be more efficient and cheap to bring in someone with sharp experience in that particular area. But as I mentioned earlier, you get further on personality if the need is long-term, where you prefer to build / fill the organization from below with more junior skills but where the personality and commitment are in place. In this way, you also have the opportunity to offer development opportunities to existing staff in a place where the juniors step in during a period of competence exchange and where the existing colleague then climbs further within the organization.Larger companies usually have the opportunity to invest more in juniors, as they often have more money to move around with, which also means that they can spend the time required to train a junior in the team. A solid introductory program, a mentor and tasks that take longer in the beginning are often needed. Such an investment is often more difficult for smaller companies to make because they do not have the same money to move with and in the beginning it is important with delivery from day 1 that generates money.It also depends on which business area you are looking for a job in. In some industries there is an extreme shortage of candidates and experience can be difficult to find. So you need to build from below and then it may happen that you only need and can recruit on a good and suitable personality.My child wants a job, but does not dare to apply. Can better self-esteem be the key?

What should you think about when you let someone know that you have not got the job?

When I tell a candidate that he will not go further in the process, the most important thing is to share with me why, and to be very concrete. If there was a lot of competition, I should be able to account for what the other candidates had that this person did not have. If I myself chose not to take the candidate further after an interview, I am happy to act as an interview coach where the candidate receives tips for the next time you apply for a job, so as not to fall into the same "traps". It is usually very much appreciated and creates a greater understanding. But it is also important to check if the candidate wants feedback before giving it, some do not want to know.

What should you think about when you say no to a job?

The nicest thing is to be transparent. To tell from the beginning if you are involved in several recruitment processes. It is very common and nothing that the recruiter puts any specific value in. We understand that you of course postpone your CV in more than one direction. In addition to that, it's a lot about what the offer looks like and is somewhat more attractive, so just be honest about it. Honesty clearly lasts the longest in this case and is also favorable for the candidate himself if he will want to apply to work for / via oneself in the future.

Applying for a job is always a struggle. Show interest and commitment and you will go a long way!

Do you have any tips for young people who are struggling to apply for jobs?

Make sure you motivate yourself well for why you are looking for this particular service, then be specific. Look good on your CV. There is no "perfect" CV, but no matter what layout you use, you will go a long way in making it clean and clear. I want to be able to immediately see what educations and experiences you have. It should be easy to get through. It absolutely does not have to be longer than 1-2 A4. Make sure everything is spelled correctly and that there are no negligent errors. Also read about the position you are looking for, ask questions and be interested.CV-guide before your first applicationDid you go further in the process? Brilliant! Then it's time for an interview. It's natural to be a little nervous, that's all. Our friends at studentrum.se, have developed some somewhat unconventional tips for the extra nervous.

The infographic is created by Studentum.se – Sweden's largest search service for post-secondary studies.