5 Ultimate Job Searching Tips
As a specialist HR recruiter, I know that it’s people like YOU that make businesses work.
This is why I created these 5 Ultimate Job Searching Tips to help you find the valuable, inspiring, fulfilling role you deserve. Packed with honest advice and encouragement, this blog will help to simplify the job hunting process so that you can shine in a career you’re truly passionate about.
ONE.
What’s your offer? Find out how to avoid job-searching overwhelm.
The candidate short market we’re in right now means that you’re probably inundated with job adverts and calls, this can be overwhelming.
The best way to stay on top of things and work your way through the deluge of roles is to take your time to understand each job. Look at why the role exists and what opportunities it might present for you. Then consider what value you can provide in the role to the company plans, and how you can fit in with the culture.
When you find a role that you feel you might thrive in, begin to consider rewards and benefits and how the job fits with your future career plans.
Be crystal clear in what you want from a role, in terms of both rewards and benefits and career progression. Plans can be flexible, but they also provide a good starting point.
When you look at the value that you can offer first, rather than the other way around, you’re more likely to find the right fit for you.
TWO.
Keep it up. No time to rest.
With so many companies looking for staff and so many roles open, it can mean that candidates get complacent. Why bother putting the effort in, someone will give you a job, right?
Wrong. Employers still have high expectations, and need people who want to do the job to the best of their ability. They will always look for those who are willing to put in the time and effort to understand where they and their skills fit. The person who wins the role will be the very best person for the job, who will carry out the role to a tee, while complementing company culture.
Make sure you still put the time and effort into your CV, and do your interview prep, researching the company and considering the answers you will give in the interview.
Doing the right preparation will also give you a boost to your confidence, helping you secure that perfect role.
A candidate short market doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be offered every role. So it’s crucial that you put your best self forward at every stage of the process to ensure that you’re the selected candidate for the role you want.
THREE.
It’s all about you. CV tips from a pro.
It’s always a good idea to make sure that your CV works for the role that you’re applying for. So, make sure that you answer any needs that are mentioned in the job post by tailoring your CV accordingly.
Having said that, your CV is your opportunity to stand out and share who you really are, so make it count and make it unique.
Start your CV with a powerful 4-8 line introduction which highlights your skills and achievements to date, to get recruiters attention from the get-go.
And make sure you write what YOU do, not just what’s on the job spec. Don’t just copy and paste, things you should include:
- Your actual day to day responsibilities
- Who are your main stakeholders and in what capacity you support them
- The size team/region/business (what is large scale or high volume to one is very different to others)
- Key challenges you faced and what solutions you found
- Positive impact on any person/team/process
- Results results results – Increase in engagement – reduction in absence – recruited X into the business etc
- Any projects you have been involved in, how you added value to them and what the outcomes were
Hiring managers like numbers and data, quantifying your achievements puts real, tangible value on your skills and experience.
Your CV is your opportunity to tell YOUR story, provide YOUR results and share what YOU can bring to the new company. Don’t waste it.
FOUR.
You can never ask too many questions… It’s time to get clear on the details.
Hiring managers will always ask candidates questions in a bid to understand whether or not that individual will fit into the role, and what value they might offer.
But the shortage of candidates means that there’s been a shift, and candidates should now feel much more confident about asking questions of their own.
Make sure you enquire about the value that a particular role or company might offer to you, so that you can
decide whether it’s the right fit for you.
Ask questions based around the specific role, why they need someone with your skills and what opportunities they can offer you.
This is a great chance for you to see what kind of employers you might be working with. Getting this understanding before you make a decision will help ensure that you make the right choice.
FIVE.
Keep your cool. Why being professional is more important now than ever.
You’re busy looking for a job, and as recruiters (who are some of the busiest people on the planet), we understand that better than anyone. But it doesn’t matter how busy you are, there’s no excuse for not being professional.
So, make sure you return calls, let recruiters know where you are in the process, and be honest about whether or not you’re interested in a role. Ghosting is not acceptable in any area of life.
We’re living in a candidate market right now, where there are more roles than candidates. But that may not always be the case. While the market doesn’t look to be slowing down right now, it will at some point. That’s the circle of recruitment life.
And when it does, you want to be remembered in a positive way. So take the opportunity to protect your personal brand by always being professional.
As professional people we should always conduct ourselves as such, in whatever situation we’re in.
Good luck in your next venture!
So guys, that was my five pointer roundup on how to tackle the job searching process. Finding a new job is never easy and feeling overwhelmed is part and parcel of the task in hand, however, by following the steps in this guide I hope that some of the pressure you’re experiencing can gradually be alleviated. Best of luck with your search.
As always, thank you so much for taking the time to read this 5 Ultimate Job Searching Tips blog.
Check out current vacancies here.