Dear Candidate

If you pass the cv screening stage, you will receive a positive response from the company to let you know that you are proceeding to the next round. That’s the kind of news we all love to get righttttt😃but wait! Before you throw that party, I want you to take a step back as we consider what this invitation actually means.

This invitation might be a step closer to the offer, however, you must understand that, to move along in the process, you will need to nail this interview. This next round invitation is indeed an invitation to prove your cv.  It is an invitation to affirm or contradict the suspicion that the recruiter has about your ability to do the job. Much more than an invitation, it is a call to action. If you want the Job, then you absolutely need to rise up to the challenge!

In this episode, I share tips on how you can do just that + 2 common reasons why candidates are dropped at this stage.

Have fun listening!

A typical application process consists of 4 major stages. It can be more or less depending on factors like the seniority of the position, the type of role, internal requirements, and so on. However, for these series, I’ll treat the entire application life cycle as a 4 stage process. Stage 1 is where your application for the role is submitted and at this stage, the review of your cv takes place. If your profile fits what the team is looking for, you will be invited to proceed to the next stage. However, some candidates have found getting past stage 1 to be a herculean task.

What is really responsible for all of these drop-offs? 

Why do I keep getting all those rejection emails without even having the opportunity to speak to a human being? someone might ask.

Listen to this episode to get some clarity on what might be responsible for this and to get some practical tips on how to improve your cv.

The importance of preparing for your interview cannot be overemphasized because as the saying goes,  'the one who fails to plan has already planned to fail'. Today, our focus would be to discuss some practical tips that can help you communicate better during your interview because the truth of the matter is that passing an interview particularly in a well-structured company does not happen by chance.  Therefore, a certain level of intentionality is required from your end. Now someone might ask, what if I prepare as hard as I can and the company still doesn’t hire me, would it not have been a waste of time? Well, my answer to this is  ‘absolutely not’, because whatever you learn would more often than not find some relevance at some point in your future. Listen to this episode as I unpack this further.

Preparing for an interview? Or trying to understand why that process did not work out when you felt it went well from your side? Listen to my thoughts on what may have been responsible for that and the pitfalls to watch out for.

Key takeaways: Don’t over-talk so as not to overwhelm, Don’t under-talk so as not to wear out, and Pace as you speak.

Have fun listening!

Are we not all candidates?

Candidates in search of a Job, candidates trying to get that promotion, candidates trying to secure that scholarship, candidates trying to get one thing or the other.

We all get into selection processes and our hope is that we emerge as the shining star that is selected. However, the harsh reality of life stares us in the face as we are bombarded with rejection emails or letters.

Where do we go from here, some of us might ask?

Welcome to the Dear Candidate Podcast, my name is Tosin Anifowose and I am a Senior tech recruiter with experience helping candidates both personally and through my articles as they go through the job search phase. I will therefore like to extend this initiative to many more people which is why I am starting this podcast.

This podcast seeks to educate and to demystify your search journey because at the end of the day, all you need is just 1 yes and it will surely come.

I really want this podcast to be about you so here is my ask :

Send in questions, provide feedback, request topics you want discussed or even share your experiences. And hey we are not just interested in the good ones, the not so good ones are also welcome. You can do this through any of our social media handles @dearcandidate01 and you can

Make use of the contact form on our website at www.dearcandidate.org.