Things to Consider Before Looking for a Job

We firmly believe that money can’t buy happiness but it is vital when it helps you pay your bills, support your lifestyle and have food on the table.  

Although it is an extremely important factor, playslip should not be your only point of concern when looking for a job. It is extremely important that you consider how happy you will be while you are employed at a certain place as a huge salary alone does not guarantee job satisfaction every time. 

There are various other factors that you should consider when looking for a job. To help you know what these factors are, we have covered all of them in this blog.

Determine the Sector

Determining the sector in which you want to pursue your career is an important decision. If you are a student, you must research and analyze the difference between public and private sectors. Since both of them are different in terms of job security, salary, benefits, increments, culture, etc., you should make your decision accordingly. 

Many people don’t know that there is a maximum age limit to apply for a public sector job. So, make your decision now if you fall under the maximum age limit. It is because this one is a life long decision. You can’t switch from the private sector to the public sector if your age is more than the maximum limit for a public sector job. 

Public Sector (Government Jobs)

When we talk about the Public Sector, we are referring to government departments. They offer services to the people (public) of Pakistan. The jobs in this sector are mostly permanent. 

*Recently it has been observed that, initially, some positions are offered on contractual basis which later turn into permanent employment.  

Some benefits of public sector jobs:

• Job security
• Pension
• Higher compensation and benefits
• More administrative power
• Job offered to children in the case of death (some departments)

Some drawbacks of public sector jobs:

• Hard to get (more applicants and less vacancies)
• Promotion is hard
• Less opportunities for learning
• Hard to switch
• Less independence due to political interference 

Private Sector

Apart from government organizations, all firms come under the category of private sector. Jobs in the private sector are readily available but lack many benefits that a government job (public sector) offers. Here are the key benefits of private sector jobs.

Benefits of private sector jobs:

• Promotion is easy
• Opportunity to switch to a high paying job
• Opportunity to learn (mostly)
• Easy to switch

Drawbacks of private sector jobs:

• No job security
• No pension (mostly)
• Low benefits

Whether you prefer to work in the public or private sector, make sure you do your research before making a decision. 

Decision About the Nature of Employment

After you have determined about the job sector, now is the time to choose between contract based and permanent jobs. Don’t just randomly find jobs in Pakistan without considering the nature of employment. Here are major employment natures you can choose from.

Contract Based 

Many organizations are offering contract based jobs. These jobs require the employee to work for the organization for a specific duration. Mostly, the person or the company may end the contract with or without a notice depending upon the terms and conditions of the contract. 

Advantages of contract jobs:

• Companies generally pay higher amounts to contractual employees.
• A great learning opportunity as companies mostly hire contractual employees for new projects.
• Your CV becomes versatile after some time (you will have experience with many organizations).

Disadvantages of contract jobs:

• At the end of the contract, you have to find a new job.
• Less to no compensation and benefits 
• Might not get paid leaves.

Permanent / Full-time Employment

As compared to contractual jobs, permanent jobs in the private sector offer more job security. In this type of employment, there is no contract involved stating the end date of your employment. Here are the key benefits of this type of job.

Benefits of Permanent jobs:

• Long term commitment (with flexibility of leaving the job at any time)
• More benefits than contractual jobs in the form of health benefits, residence allowance, etc.
• A steady income
• Paid leaves are available
• Fixed schedule

Drawbacks of Permanent jobs:

• Life becomes boring after some time (especially if your role and responsibilities remain the same)
• Your CV will be less versatile
• More work related stress (as you are a full time employee, you own things)

So, be very careful when choosing between permanent and contractual jobs. You can also choose a contractual job for some time and later switch to a permanent one to diversify your CV. It can help you find a job in Pakistan quickly in the future.

Remote Jobs

Especially during and after Covid, these types of jobs have become popular. In this type, you can either be a full-time or contractual employee of the company. It is not like freelancing where you have to look for work after every project comes to an end.

If you consider a remote job, you will be an employee of a specific company working remotely. Here are its pros and cons.

Pros of remote jobs:

• Work-life-balance is easy
• More freedom 
• No travel expense

Cons of remote jobs:

• Isolation (little to no interaction with colleagues)
• Lack of collaboration
• Less motivation
• Communication gap

Choose the Right Industry

Irrespective of the position you’re interested in, choosing the right industry is among the most important steps to take before you get a job in Pakistan. 

You need to analyze which industry is suitable for you keeping in view your passion, personality and preference. This is especially true if you are entering the job market for the first time. 

Here are some popular industries in Pakistan:

• Textile 
• Cooking oil 
• Sugar 
• Fertilizer 
• Cement 
• Chemical 
• Services
• Automotive
• Leather 

Determine the Job Position You Are Capable of

Many people don’t know their true potential. Many have capabilities, skills, education, and experience that could get them a higher role job but they don’t search for it. Do analyze what you are capable of.

Always look for the jobs that you think are a little challenging because these kinds of jobs give you room for learning. If you think you are capable of a higher role, then apply for it. If you think you are not ready for it, read job descriptions and requirements to find out what are the skills needed for a higher position. It is a key element to find jobs in Pakistan at a higher position.

If you are a student, try to get an internship or job along with your studies. It will increase the chances of you finding a job after you graduate. 

Choose Suitable Job Nature 

It is important for everyone to seek a job that suits their nature. Many skip this part that becomes problematic for them later. For example, if you are someone who can work only during the day shift but you applied for a job where your shift gets switched after every 2 weeks. Since night shifts do not suit you, it will become difficult for you to continue the job.

There are many examples of misfit jobs. In most cases, people end up quitting the job or facing mental stress. 

Right Time to Look for a Job

Many students wait for the right time to search for a job. Well, the right time to find a job or start hunting for a job is before graduating. Yes! You heard it right. Start looking for a job or do an internship before graduating. An internship will increase your chances of getting a better job as you will have more professional experience than many other fresh candidates.

If you are an employee,  there is no right time to look for a job. Some say a person should always keep looking for better opportunities. Others say you should have at least 1 year of experience on your CV to make a good impact. 

So, you can always look for better opportunities but don’t switch before 1 year if everything is okay at your current workplace.

Create an Outstanding Resume

Your resume is your first impression so building an outstanding resume is the first step to make yourself stand out among others. 

You can get your resume designed from professional CV designers. If you are not willing to pay for it, you can use any professional resume format available on the internet.

If you are skilled, you can also post an ad on the OLX Services Section. It will help you offer your services to people who need them. It might speed up the process to find jobs in Pakistan.

Where to Find Jobs in Pakistan? Search Job Vacancies

Many people find opportunities on job portals in Pakistan. Some of them create job alerts, while others search for Pakistan jobs banks. Most public sector jobs are announced in the newspaper so you can get a subscription to multiple newspapers or read them online everyday.

If you want to find a job in the private sector, the Job Section of OLX Pakistan is a great place to search. There are thousands of different types of jobs posted on it that cater to people with different skill sets. 

Don’t Apply Recklessly 

Many people apply for jobs recklessly without considering its nature, requirements, responsibilities and company’s background. It is important to carefully read the job description (JD) and job specification (JS) before you apply.

You should also analyze the organization’s culture. Even if you did not research about it before applying, make sure you do it before accepting the job offer letter (if you get selected). Here is a list of things you should know: 

• Job culture
• Environment
• Centralized or decentralized
• Satisfaction levels of current employees
• Office location
• Timings

Prepare for Test and Interview

Preparation is one of the elements when it comes to increasing your chances to get a job in Pakistan. If there is a test before the interview, you should get prepared for it. However, for the interview, it is important to work on your communication. 

Recalling your experience in previous companies is important because most questions are asked from this part. You should recall or list down the roles, responsibilities and learnings from the past jobs on a paper or anything to memorize them. It will help you answer the questions confidently. So, it is among the most important things to consider when you find jobs in Pakistan.

Interviews don’t only mean you have to answer the questions. You should also have some questions to ask the interviewer. It shows how much you are interested in the role and the company.

Negotiations on Salary and Benefits

Many people are rigid in terms of salary expectation. It is not a good practice to have a specific figure in mind, instead have a range. The maximum amount of your range should be higher than what you are expecting to get. 

Many companies require more work on the same job positions as compared to the other companies. Writing a salary range will help in the negotiations a lot. 

You can also negotiate the benefits and compensations. Research beforehand what benefits other companies are offering for a specific job position. In the end, it is a combination of salary and benefits you have to analyze.

Final Verdict

Many people don’t know what factors should be considered when looking for a job in Pakistan. It is a systematic process and each factor requires attention. The above mentioned factors are some of the most important ones so make sure you take them into account.

Know any other factor that people should keep in their mind before finding a job? Share it in the comment section below.