Some Useful Tips for Beginner Conquerors and Job Seekers

To the untrained eye, the connection between conquerors and job seekers can seem quite a vague one. In fact, with the current competition on the market being fiercer than the one for the Iron Throne, they have a lot in common. Do you want to know what you share with Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte when you are looking for a new position?

The thing is that either subjugating another country or trying to get a better job, a person is led by the same desire to get more power and influence. It is also no secret that both conquerors and job seekers aim for the enrichment and getting more territories (I mean seriously, it’s high time to get yourself a window office instead of that pathetic cubicle!).

Therefore, take the nuggets of wisdom from the great ones and I promise that by following these simple tips, you will either have the coveted job or at the very least conquer some kingdom.

Make Allies

No king can hope to conquer lands all by himself as well as no job seeker can hope to land a good job without having someone to vouch for his credibility and professionalism. Finding strong allies is a keystone to success both on the battlefield and in carving out a career. Make sure that you have enough people to back you up at least by some great recommendations on LinkedIn.

If you have a personal website (what is a huge advantage by the way) with positive feedback from customers – do not forget to include a link in your CV or bring it up during interview. Such reinforcement can be quite helpful sometimes. Besides, those ardent speeches about your virtues and aspiring plans for the future sound far more convincing if you make them with a powerful army of your loyal comrade-in-arms i.e. positive reviews behind you. 

Deploy Espionage

Do not restrict yourself to the external allies alone, try to acquire some from within the company you’d like to work for. That means you have to go offline when searching… no – when fighting for the job. It is not enough just to send your CV over email and sit back waiting for invitations to job interviews.

Try to get in contact with someone who works in the company you’d like to join. It doesn’t have to be its CEO, of course. We’ll make do with trainees, interns, and other “grassroots”. Don’t hesitate to make appointments for so-called informational interviews where you can meet people and ask them all you want to know about their work at a certain company.

It doesn’t only help you to learn all the ins and outs of the work itself. Who knows maybe that person you meet will be able (and willing) to put in a good word for you. Moreover, establishing such social network attests to your proactivity.

Get Them All to Like You

To win people’s hearts is the ultimate duty of any tolerable ruler who intends to reign long and prosperously. The ability to make a good first impression is crucial for any job-seeker since recruiters tend to make their decision in the first 6-7 seconds after meeting an applicant.

Surprisingly, showing up with a great CV and starchy cuffs may not bring you success. Do not overdo it – instead of mumbling crammed perfectly polished phrases just be your usual charming self during a job interview.

Remember that a potential employer, who is interested in you, will not be limited to the image you created in your CV. Almost all recruiters study not only your LinkedIn profile but also all social media pages you’ve got. That’s why you’d better make sure that you have not posted anything embarrassing on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook (or at least make sure that random people can’t see it).

At the same time, you should not go too far with discretion. Nowadays you just HAVE to be on social media. If your name can not be found in Google, you do not exist.

Speak their Tongue

The language was often a major issue in establishing a healthy relationship between the ruler and his subjects.

The language was often a major issue in establishing a healthy relationship between the ruler and his subjects.

There were conquerors who insisted on extending their language and culture on people they conquered and that could lead to distemper in the country. Wise rulers always knew that they had better accept the native tongue of the conquered to some extent. A small compromise but such a great benefit.

Therefore, when applying for a job make sure that you and your future employer speak one tongue, i.e. that you are familiar with special terminology and fully understand all the buzzwords of the industry. Include those also in your speech to show that you know your onions perfectly.

Mind your Grammar

Maybe there were dark times in the early Middle Ages when a king could get away with an X-mark signature in royal orders, but most great rulers were well-educated and had excellent grammar skills.

When writing your CV make sure that you keep up with those kings! A single typo can instantly ruin an impression of you and get you out of the game so read carefully what you have written. Maybe even let someone else proofread, your royal councilor or at least your mother.

Be Adaptive

Well, now that is where most prominent rulers fail! Who knows, if the French king Louis XVI were more flexible in reaching compromises with the sovereignty of the peoples’ rule he could have avoided his own death and perhaps there would still be a monarchy in modern France. There are no ifs in history, of course. Inflexible and stubborn rulers do not reign long. The same goes for job seekers who are so set in their ways that they lose the ability to change and adjust which is crucial in the modern world. In order to be successful in your career you have to be open-minded and always ready to try something new.

Fortune favours the bold.

It does! However, sometimes we find ourselves stuck at work that we don’t like, afraid to take the first step towards finding a new place. What if I am not qualified enough? What if I’m too old? Or too young? What if I don’t cope with new responsibilities? What if I make a mistake? Do not torture yourself with doubts, just go for it!

Even if you fail the first time, remember that once the Ottomans (who were avid conquerors) spent more than twenty long years waiting for the sieged kingdom of Candia to fall and in the end, it did. I promise you will find a good job much sooner!