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For graduates who have been unable to secure a job this year, nothing could be more devastating and worrying. The competition is stiff, and positions, limited. The endless cycle of applications followed by rejections is sometimes only interrupted by job scams asking for a fee before you can be employed. The year is drawing to a close, and to increase your chances of securing a job in 2015, you need to start laying the ground work from now. Here are a few tips to help you get started on your quest to find a job in 2015.   Reevaluate An assessment of why you could not get a job is important. If you usually get feedback from your job interviews, you can get an insight into why you are not picked for a particular position and you can adjust accordingly. If you don’t, write down a list of possible causes. You need to be objective, however. If you have been sabotaging your own efforts, don’t blame it on competition, lack of connection, or high applicant requirements. Recognising the obstacles preventing you from getting a job is the first step to finding a solution and increasing your chances of landing a job in 2015.   Consider Other Options I know entrepreneurship is all the rave these days, and for good reasons. The government can’t possibly employ every citizen, and the economy needs the private sector too to thrive. You may feel you’re not cut out to be an entrepreneur, but you can only know that if you’ve tried to run a business. Perhaps you have some knowledge from your course of study, or you have a passion for a type of business; looking into entrepreneurship is not a bad idea. If you think the idea of running your own business is one you can explore, then now is the time to do your research and start laying the ground work against next year. Entrepreneurship is not the only alternative. A lot of people take up volunteer positions at various organisations either to gain experience that they can leverage for a new job, or to use volunteering as a way to connect with people who can help them secure a job. Another option is to take up a new vocation, or further your academic career. The only problem is that these two won’t bring any income till you are done with them.   Restrategize If you decide that being employed by someone else is the way to go, you now need to draw a plan for the next year. If all the methods you have been using before have failed, you need to try new ones. For example, if you have been looking into the daily newspapers for job adverts, or you have been relying on word of mouth, try subscribing to a jobs website to receive alerts on new vacancies as soon as they are available. If you have been applying to each and every job advert that you see, that may not be the brightest idea. Instead, focus on the ones similar to your educational background, or the skills that you possess. If you have been trying a method with no success, now is a good time to shake things up. You will be going into the new year better prepared, motivated, and more confident of yourself.  Changing your job search tactics will significantly improve your chances of getting a job in 2015.   About the Author: Amina Salau is a writer and editor running The Illuminated Pen. You can find her online at www.theilluminatedpen.com and on Twitter (@_Aminah)
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This article was first published on 8th December 2014

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