Are you a business graduate fresh out of college and looking for accountancy jobs in Sri Lanka? Have your efforts to find finance jobs been futile? Do you want to look for vacancies in the business world in order to move things up in your current career? Has it been difficult for you to find references for accountant jobs?
If an affirmative answer to any of these questions describes your present situation, you can definitely benefit from gaining more knowledge about the ways you can land business jobs in Colombo or any other part of Sri Lanka.
How to find business vacancies in Sri Lanka
If you have been through the grind of applying for finance jobs in Kandy or any other Sri Lankan city, you must already be aware of how painstaking the process can be. Those of you who are just starting out on this journey will particularly find the following suggestions useful:
• Create an impressive resume – First things first – If you do not already have one, start working on your resume without further delay. There is a wide variety of resume templates available online on which you can base the structure of your own resume. Make sure you include all your relevant achievements and educational qualifications. Do mention any certifications or courses you have attended, especially if they can be helpful in determining your knowledge in the area.
Be mindful, however, that your resume should be crisp and concise. Avoid unnecessary fillers and fluff content at all costs, particularly if the only reason you have added them is to increase the length of your resume. It is not the quantity, but the quality of experience that really matters to potential employers.
If there are any extracurricular accolades that you have received, give your judgment in terms of their significance to the finance or accounting jobs for which you are going to apply. Winning a prize for writing an essay in elementary school will have lesser relevance than attending a national business conference, for instance.
• Build references – If you are a fresh graduate, you may not exactly have a long list of references. One of the best ways to get noticed by finance or accounting firms is to capitalise on the internship opportunities that come your way while you are still in college. In addition to that, you should make use of technology and make a LinkedIn account. Signing up for a LinkedIn account is advisable not only for recent graduates, but even if you have considerable experience.
Networking with the bigwigs in the finance and accounting world can help open new doors for you in your quest to find jobs in Sri Lanka. In fact, a large number of jobs in Colombo and other cities of Sri Lanka are not even advertised in the newspaper. Instead, the companies prefer to go by the word of mouth and give preference to resumes that have been sent in by known references. In other words, acquiring references can increase your recall in the minds of your possible employers.
• Explore the opportunities through different media – Apart from relying on references, it is still essential to keep sending your job applications to various companies. One way is to go the good old traditional route of reading through the classifieds in your local newspaper. Alternatively, you can use your tech-savvy side to search for different job portals online. These job portals allow you to create your account, enter your educational information and search for jobs that best meet the criteria you enter. If you are a resident of Kandy, for instance, and do not want to see jobs in Colombo, you can even add that detail to your search for opportunities on the portal.
• Be sure about the type of organisation you wish to be a part of – This suggestion is mainly aimed at workers who are already working, but find themselves stuck in a stagnant work situation. Truth be told, it is often disheartening for employees to be deprived of any appreciation or incentives for the hard work they put in for the company. The unfortunate part is that very few employers in Sri Lanka are known for treating their workers with fairness.
This does not mean that you should stop trying, though. Make a list of the things that matter to you but are not offered by your current employer. This step will help ensure that when you search for new jobs, you narrow your search down by looking for these particular points in a company.
• Do not be too picky about entry-level jobs – It is not uncommon for bigger companies to demand for at least a year or two of experience in finance or accountancy- related workplaces. Having just passed out of college, you are just starting out in the field and need to acquire as much experience as you can before you start exploring other options. While being ambitious is integral to your career growth, there is such a thing as being overambitious, and that is what you need to avoid.
After you receive your degree, study the job offers you have on the table and pick the one that suits you the best. At this stage, however, it would be wise for you not to start negotiating with your employers too much. In fact, an entry-level job should be treated as your gateway into the industry and to endless possibilities in the future. Take this as a stepping stone to learn how things work in the professional world.
Another thing to remind yourself is to be patient, and not start sending your resumes out just a few months after you join the company. Even if the current pay or benefits are not impressive, it is best to stay put for at least two years before you make a move. This will act as a window to show the reliability and stability in your work, which is a quality most employers appreciate in the candidates they hire.
