Though having a formal education is definitely the best way to get into some industries, don’t worry if you didn’t acquire a college degree. Hope is still there! Let’s have a look at the three qualities you need to have in order to be successful without a college degree and land yourself a job.
Soft Skills:
These are skills not achieved by getting a degree. Some of these skills found to be essential by employers include the following:
- Punctuality
- Friendly personality
- Enthusiasm
- Ability to get along well with others
- Professional mannerism and appearance
- Sincere interest in the job at hand
Making Connections:
Most jobs are given out each day to so-and-so’s uncle or the boss’s friend’s grandson. If you want to have the same success, you will need to tap and make your connections effectively.
When you are attempting to make connections, you have to move out of your comfort zone and come to life when you come across other people. At times you simply have to initiate conversations in grocery store lines or coffee shops. Be proactive and make an effort to learn a little more about the people who surround you in your daily life. You might not know the person standing next to you on a train or in line for a movie is the human resource officer.
And don’t disregard those contacts you already have. Take the time to analyze the people you have recently met and those you already know. Who can likely help you in your search for a job? Who have you not asked about job openings? You should never feel embarrassed about networking, Bear in mind that it’s not begging, if you go in to speak to someone with high energy, confidence and optimism. Actually, you may be doing them a favor if they connect you with somebody who actually hires you—this will definitely make them look good! The reality is that you’ll never know whether your connections will work or not until you try them.
Market Research:
Hiring Managers value applicants who “do their homework.” To help clear up any confusion market research does the trick. When you realize how the profession you’re interested in works with other professions, you may discover that some of the most unexpected contacts are the ones who can help you the most. A job wont find you so don’t just wait around. Go out and talk to your contacts, do your research, and bring the job to you!
Your capacity to effectively utilize and tap the three qualities above relies on how well polished your job market skills are overall.