As soon as You start approaching the job market and making job interviews, the criteria You will use to choose Your first job will become more and more important, and will affect Your performance during the job interview.
You must be sure that Your personal beliefs and values and the way You want to build up your career have a great impact on how You will be perceived by your interviewer.
Here are some considerations You may agree or not, but whose relevance, in the Italian context, can be hardly underestimated.
First of all, one suggestion: don’t way too long for the “perfect job”. The Italian job market is not blooming, and is easier to find another job when You are already working than to get the first job. Sometimes, it is better to accept a job offer although it is not exactly what You expected. After one year or two, You will probably receive several offers, and You will have more opportunities to find what You are looking for.
Despite your willingness to be flexible, you may not necessarily get a job immediately after the end of your course of studies. It may take a few months to get it. The most important thing during this period is do not allow yourself to be discouraged. You had rather better to use this time in a productive way: attend additional courses, read books, do something.
What is important is do not remain “passive”, just waiting for the right answer, for instance using this time to do some volunteering. A proactive attitude will be always well appreciated during your job interviews.
But when it comes to decide to accept an employment offer, the criteria You will use to decide will become vital. On which basis to say Yes or Not? Which role will play the salary?
In order to answer this question, You have to consider two aspects:
- The Italian education system is not primarily focused on prepare you for a specific job: that means that in your first 2-3 years of work an important part of your time will be dedicated to acquire some specific skills.
- The Company who will hire you, will invest a significant amount of time to teach You these specific skills
As a consequence, the main criteria You had better to follow is to look for a Company, and a job opportunity that can offer to You the best opportunity to learn the competencies and the skills that will turn out to be useful for your future career.
Don’t look at the short term: focus on your long-term plan!
