Finding a job can be quite stressful. A job determines so many different factors in your life: income, growth opportunities, relationships (colleagues) and happiness are all to a degree related to your job.
It is therefore important that yóu are in control of why and when you apply so you can make the right move at the right time. That is the surefire way to ultimately find your next dream job. To help you with this, we put together a blog with tips, tricks, do’s and don’ts when searching and applying for a job. From searching, CV writing, applying and the job interview itself. Let’s get into it!
Select the right job for you!
If you take some time finding a job that suits you, it’s more likely you will land the right job for you. Taking the time to consider your skills, interests, as well as the job market, will help you to identify potential job opportunities and identify positions that fit your experience and qualifications.
To help you with this, here is what we think might be helpful to you in this process.
Take your time
Don’t rush this step: really consider what made you happy/unhappy in previous jobs, weigh these against each other and take it from there.
It is important to reflect on your interests, skills, values, and goals.
Start with writing down your passions, skills, and values.
Then think about what kind of environment,colleagues, salary and benefits you want to have.
Searching online
You can find a lot of jobs online, not every job is really a job. A lot of employees use ‘fake’ vacancies to attract new “possible” talent but are not always searching for a developer. So do your homework. When investigating potential employers, it is important to consider a variety of factors. First, consider the company’s mission and values to ensure that they align with your own. Look into their reputation as an employer, both from employees and from customers. Research their policies and benefits to make sure that they offer what you are looking for. Look into the company’s culture to make sure
Get everything ready
Now that you have a clear vision of what you want we can talk about your performance.
To start the job hunt, Make sure you have a portfolio (github account with your code and a good resume, ready to show employers. In your resume potential employers will read your project about apps and your other experiences.
Additionally, provide a brief overview of the projects you have completed, so employers can get a better understanding of your experience. Need help writing your resumé? Check out our blog with tips to write the most effective resumé!
Start networking!
Your dreams and presentations are clear, great! Did you know that 23% of the jobs are found by networking. It might not be your favorite pastime, but trust us: it really works! So start reach out to people in your network about potential employers and inquire about job openings
Also check the active fellow developers with a great network and friendly recruiters who invest in the app community. If you want to discover the best meetups and community events for app developers: check out our blog on the app community in The Netherlands.
By the way: did you know that The House of Appril started out as a festival for people who build apps, back in 2012? We still organize this great event and lot’s of other meetups to help you with your career. If you’re interested, check out an overview of all our upcoming events.
Interview preparation
Your dreams and presentations are ready, you have reached out to your network, attended meetups to meet new people and extend your network. Now it’s time to take the next step. This contains two routes: be ready for the interview and start applying
Practice makes perfect
Nervous before a job interview? Don’t hesitate to use your partner or a family member as practice dummy. Make sure you write down a list of questions you might get asked and have away at it! To up the ante: use your home office or something similar as a setting to simulate as best as you can what an actual job-interview environment might look like.
Practice entering the room, shaking hands and introducing yourself as well: you only get one shot an a great first impression.
Some questions that you want to prepare for:
- why did you leave your previous job
- what did you like most in your previous job
- what project ae you the most proud of and why
- what is something you would like to work on more in terms of your weaknesses?
- how would you approach teamwork?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years (yeah, we know: it is not a great question, but you still might get asked about it.)
Preparing an elevator pitch might help as well: an elevator pitch is a short ‘commercial’ comparable to a spoken cv in which you can sum up who you are, what you can do and what you can bring to a company. This is also great for when you go out networking.
An interview goes both ways!
Of course, you are applying with a company for a job, but don’t forget you can have opinions too! Do feel at home with the office atmosphere, do you have a click with the interviewer, how do people dress and talk to each other? It is also worth talking about things you find important in your job and if your potential new employer can offer them like educational opportunities, remote working etc. Depending on the procedure contract negotiations, ‘money talk’ and the like might best be saved for a second interview. It is absolutely fine to ask about this during the interview.
After the interview
Great! You just finished the first interview round! Take your time to reflect on your own impressions regardless of what you think the outcome might be. What elements did you like, how was the interviewer? Where there things you have some extra questions about, etc
Don’t hesitate to call up the company if you think you missed something: it shows you are really interested in the job and that you have a proactive attitude, something most employers value! This also goes for when they don’t get back to you within the agreed time window of the procedure.
That’s it! By following these steps you are guaranteed you will present the best version of you and your resumé.
Good luck with your application!
A personal note:
Finding work is an exciting process, we hope these tips help you make sure your skills come across better. Join one of our network dinners or other events, or contact Jacqueline for an intake interview. Apply for a job or send an email don't forget to add your resume!
Feel free to share these tips with your friends and colleagues, we like to help as many developers as we can!
Do you like these tips and our advice? Please be so kind as to compliment us on social media, twitter, linkedin or send us a recommendation for our website. That way new developers know how we can support them too!
If you have any questions about this document or our hiring process, please let me know. You can send me an email at: Jacqui@thehouseofappril.com.
Follow me at Twitter: @Missappril, or connect with me on Linkedin: for more tips, insights and jobs.
Good luck finding your dream job!
Jacqui