In your twenties, the inevitable moment arrives when you finish your studies and decide to start working. You want to earn some money so you can finally do and buy the things you want—or at least, most people do. "There's plenty of work, you'll find a job in no time," you hear often enough—or at least I heard that a lot back then. Nothing could be further from the truth, because they prefer someone with five years of experience, but who's still young and has a fresh perspective. Um... that's not possible last time I checked . Unless you're a vampire who doesn't age, but of course, that doesn't exist. Initially, you'll go all out applying for jobs, confident that the company you like so much will want you on board. But how to sell yourself? That's an art in itself, and you don't learn that in school, or hardly at all. No one prepared you for rejection after rejection after rejection until you start to think you're useless and that no one thinks you're good enough. There are a thousand ways to write your CV, and everyone has an opinion about how to write a cover letter. Getting a little help isn't a bad thing, but be careful not to ask for too many opinions. That can be counterproductive, and you might lose sight of the forest for the trees (of advice). In fact, it might even make you more desperate, because everyone does it differently, and what one person says is right, another says is wrong. So, it's best to always ask the same person, or maybe two, for help; that way you'll stay consistent. I was also desperate for a while, and I finally found something, so you can too. I'll share a few tips I picked up; sorry, that will make this blog a bit longer...

A few tips from me to help you get started… Be yourself, but don't forget your worth. That one volunteer job you do each year also says something about you. So feel free to put that on your resume! It means you're not just thinking about yourself, but also want to contribute to others and what you value without expecting anything in return. You could have spent that time doing something that earns you money. Tip 2… Ask other people who already like you—like friends and family—what your best qualities are or what makes you unique. Ask about 10 people—ask why, and ask for examples so you can use them in a job interview. List all your qualities below each other and group them together. You can put those qualities on your resume and use them (with examples) in your cover letter. Non-work-related examples also say something about you, so you can use those even if you don't have much work experience yet. If you have a part-time job, you can also ask your employer. And last but not least, there's no RIGHT or WRONG answer to the most general and vague interview questions... they simply say something about who you are. You can prepare for them, because good preparation is KEY. So give truly honest answers, not a standard answer. That way, you show who you are and what makes you unique. That's more authentic, and if you dare to open up, you simply have a better chance of finding a company that's a good fit and where you'll be happier. So if they ask where you see yourself in five years and you don't know, say so honestly and also explain why you think you can't say that yet. That's an honest answer, and it might surprise you. Oh yeah, just apply everywhere, and send open applications to companies you like. No harm done, no harm done, and who knows, you might get lucky someday. DON'T GIVE UP! YOU'RE WORTH IT!