Dear Tita Kalli, How Do I Start Looking for a Job If I’m Starting from Scratch?

Words of wisdom and career advice from Tita Kalli

Dearest Mark,

Hay nako to those people who say you need to know someone on the “inside” to make it. Yes, that is one way to go about the job search but it certainly isn’t the only way. Do you really think that everyone who graduated from your school has connections that got them jobs? Probably not, diba? Maybe the others are just scared to ask for help and so you don’t hear about it. Buti ka pa, you’re doing something about it!

You asked me how do you start looking for a job if you’re starting from scratch. Well, you’re not starting from scratch, Mark. Soon you will have a degree and one that can go into several lines of work at that. I know that looking for a job can be scary so I made a step-by-step list to help you get started.

Step 1: Write a list. Take note of 1) things you can do and 2) things you want to do. After that, think of jobs that make use of items from both these lists. It’s important to decide what kind of work you want to get into and where you might be suited. Knowing what industry or field you want to enter will narrow your search by A LOT.

Step 2: Research. Once you know what industry you want to end up in, read up on companies, organizations, and titles that fall under that category. Even if it was a fleeting thought, you must have been like, “Wow, that would be a cool company to work for,” at one point or another. Do your research and come up with a shortlist of places you want to apply to.

Step 3: Find out where and how they recruit. Check their website’s career page for openings. If they don’t have a career page, maybe they recruit via job matching sites like Kalibrr so it’s a good idea to check those out too.

Of course, I can’t list down all the steps for you. The job search is a chance for you to learn and grow too. You can subscribe to our weekly newsletter if you want career advice from me regularly. We also have a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

If you’re still worried about not having a network, three months is plenty of time to make one. You can attend events held by publishers and news stations. It’s hard to get to the people at the top but you can meet people near the “inside” until you find ones that are actually “inside”. Don’t be afraid to wiggle your way in—that’s how networks are made talaga.

If you, or even your friends have any questions, you can even viber me for career or job search advice. Tita Kalli’s social media is complete.

Blueberries and cream,

Tita Kalli

P.S. I have a joke for you. What do you get if you cross a ghost and a newsreader ? A spooksman! Hahaha good luck, Mark!