This educational guide is beneficial for people currently seeking new professional opportunities. Whether you’re entering the job market for the first time or you’re a seasoned professional looking for a role in QA testing or any other IT-related field, these strategies will prove helpful.
What’s the best approach to job hunting?
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Whether you’re aiming to kickstart your career as a recent graduate, or seeking a fresh professional start – we’re all regularly engaged in job hunting. Let’s be honest, it’s rarely a pleasant, easy, straightforward, or satisfying journey. Nonetheless, the following tips can streamline the process and boost your chances of landing a job.
Following tradition at STH, we’ll start from the basics and gradually cover each individual step of the process.
Here’s What You’ll Learn:
3 Crucial Steps To Apply For A Job
Step 1: Identify The Job Sources
- Personal connections or acquaintances
- Online community forums
- Social networking platforms, specifically LinkedIn
- Online job boards (see all software testing job boards here)
- Newspaper classified sections
- Informal online classified websites, like Craigslist, etc.
- Individual company websites
Step 2: Uncover The Job That Matches Your Profile
A surefire route to disappointment is applying for a job that’s not in line with your expertise or skills. We’ll discuss each source and give recommendations to prevent landing in this situation.
#1) Friends:
- If a job vacancy appears at your friend’s workplace, ask for a job description (JD). It’s not always the case that our friends understand the details of our professional skills or how advanced our expertise is.
For instance, your friends may know you’re involved in automation testing, but they might not be aware of the exact tool you’re using or your level of experience. While they’d likely want the best for you, and urge you to jump at the chance to work as an automation tester if an opening arises at their workplace. To avoid disappointments, it’s advisable to know the details beforehand.
- Inform them exactly how to describe you when recommending you to others. Provide them with a one or two-line summary that best encapsulates your expertise and work experience.
For example, “He/She has 4 years of experience as a QA professional and has substantial experience in the Banking and Insurance sectors. He/She is a CSTE certified professional with in-depth expertise in automation testing using Selenium.”
#2) Online Forums:
Given the rise of online communities, they can serve as a beneficial resource for finding freelance or specialized skill jobs. But beware of disclosing personal details about yourself unless the source’s legitimacy is confirmed.
#3) Social Media Platforms:
Sites like LinkedIn have revolutionized job hunting. Their accessibility to professional information, recommendations, and other resources makes them an excellent channel for finding job openings. Join relevant groups and stay updated on job vacancies.
#4) Job Portals:
The significant chunk of the job market is now controlled by job portals. Notable examples of such sites include Monster, Naukri, Dice, and Indeed. Here’s a guide on how to undertake a job search on these websites:
- Create a profile and let the portal suggest suitable job openings which you can apply to via the portal itself.
- Use the search function to discover job listings. A useful tip is to run a search based on different criteria. For instance, if you’re a manual tester with 2 years of experience, look for job titles like QA engineer, QA tester, Quality Control Engineer, Software Tester, Manual Tester, Test Engineer, and so on. You’ll potentially discover more job vacancies by searching with a variety of titles.
- The simplest approach is to create a profile indicating your openness to job opportunities. Employers will contact you directly when there’s an opening that suits your profile.
#5)) Newspaper Classifieds:
Although newspapers do not command a significant role in the job search process in this internet-driven age, they sometimes feature career sections (either monthly or weekly) wherein some job vacancies are posted. To achieve success with these roles, it’s essential to closely adhere to the instructions outlined in the job listing.
#6) Online Classifieds:
Search for “Wanted” or “Jobs” sections. But again, ensure the sources are reliable.
#7) Company Websites:
We all have particular companies that spark our interest. It could be due to their technological advancement, or sometimes, their organizational philosophy that attracts us. To contribute our intellectual abilities to such a company would be a dream. So why not take initiative?
- Most companies have a careers or “Join Us” section on their site. Browse this part of the site and search for job vacancies that align with your profile.
- If there aren’t any immediate vacancies that you’re a good fit for, submit your resume for their database. They will notify you once a suitable opening comes up.
Step 3: Job Application
Regardless of the source you choose or wherever you unearth a job, the following vital step is applying for it.
The critical components of this step are:
- Online Profile: This applies to both job portals and social networks. Granted, it may initially be a bit time-consuming to input all your educational background, work experience, previous projects, and so on. However, the payoff is pretty considerable.
- Cover Letter: When applying for a job, you’re reaching out to a future employer. While they’re interested in understanding your experience and skills, which your resume can highlight, you also need to introduce yourself and clarify why you’re reaching out. That’s exactly what a cover letter accomplishes. Whether it’s an email, a message on a job portal, or a response to a newspaper ad, attaching a cover letter is a must. A cover letter is straightforward – it should contain the following elements:
- A brief introduction
- The purpose of the communication
- The source where you found the job posting
- Where the employer can find your resume or profile
QA Testing Job Sample Cover Letter:
A typical cover letter could look like:
Greetings,
This is “Name.” I hold a B.Tech degree in computer science and have been in the QA profession since 2004. I have robust manual testing skills and extensive expertise in employing QTP for automation.
I am writing this email in response to a job posting for the role of Senior Quality Analyst on “Source, dated (if any).” I strongly believe my capabilities align perfectly with this role.
I have attached my resume to this email.
Please review it, and I eagerly look forward to hearing back regarding this opportunity.
Thank you,
“Name”
Contact information
- Resume: It’s common knowledge that a well-prepared resume is of great importance. Check out our pieces on how to craft an excellent resume:
Key Tips for Job Applications
#1) Avoid applying for jobs that don’t match approximately 75-80% of your professional skills.
#2) In case you use social media platforms for job hunting, ensure your profile is professional and up-to-date.
#3) Pay close attention to the “skills required” section in job postings. It’s crucial to meet all the mandatory skill requirements. It’s okay to compromise on “nice-to-have” or optional skills, but not the necessary ones.
#4) Ensure all spelling and grammar errors are eliminated from both your resume and cover letters.
#5) Sometimes, job application submissions ask for specific details about each project, skill, and qualification mentioned in your resume. This might seem laborious, but bear with it.
#6) Make sure your resume has correct contact information. Double-check the contact details of your references, if provided.
#7) Job portals usually provide an option to signal that you’re “actively seeking a job” or something on similar lines.
#8) Avoid revealing personal details such as passport numbers.
#9) Maintain a courteous and respectful tone in your cover letter.
#10) Job portals offer the feature to create multiple profiles and cover letters. It can be advantageous, but can also lead to confusion. If you find it too overwhelming, maintain a single profile and modify your cover letter as required. But if you prefer multiple alternatives, the portals give you that option..
Closing Thoughts
It’s typical for us, during our job search, to pin the blame for not landing job offers on various negative external factors that are beyond our control. We lay faults on our location, limited professional network, season of the year, and many other aspects.
While certain circumstances may indeed be out of our hands, a more favorable move would be to shift focus on personal growth and becoming more employable regardless of the hindrances.
The professional landscape is continuously evolving, attaining a work-life balance is increasingly possible, and geographical location matters less and less. This could be the opportune moment to chase that dream opportunity that fits perfectly with your lifestyle. Moreover, nothing should stand in the way of a bright intellect making a significant contribution.
Also, read =>> How to email a recruiter
So, kickstart your job search journey now. Don’t let any obstacles stand in your way.
STH will be there to lend you a supportive hand whenever required. Wishing you the best of luck, dear readers! Go forth and claim the job you’ve always set your heart on!
Author: This informative content was penned by Swati Seela, a valued STH team member and a master in the domain of Software Testing.