Take the next step in your career, be proactive and positive in your job search and you’ll find that perfect role in no time. Follow our tips for navigating the process successfully:
Update your CV
First and absolutely foremost, update your CV and make sure that it’s going to stand out against your competition. Check your contact details, update your career history with your most relevant roles and highlight your key achievements that will appeal to potential employers. Have someone else look over your CV too, a second pair of eyes might spot something that you’ve missed! For more CV tips see: Your CV in 6.25 Seconds
Social media
With social media becoming a more prominent networking tool than ever before, your LinkedIn profile is almost as important as your CV. Recruiters and companies that are hiring will search LinkedIn for potential candidates so it’s vital that the content of your LinkedIn is in line with that on your CV. LinkedIn also provides a brilliant platform for connecting with professionals in your industry, you might come across companies in need of a candidate with your skill set so get your name out there in the relevant professional groups. Remember, sometimes it’s not what you know it’s who you know.
Recruitment agencies
Recruiters are an undeniably useful tool for identifying opportunities in your field. We work directly with the professionals in your market day in day out, finding out exactly what they are looking for and what we can offer them in a candidate. Establish a good relationship with your consultant; explaining your skills, experience and background will enable them to promote you better to potential employers and match you with companies in line with your requirements and personality. A specialist recruiter will understand what you want as a next step in your career and can often be a valuable resource, so be sure to work with recruiters who know your industry rather than a generalist. Your consultant can provide you with the coaching and advice that you’ll need to be prepared for applications and interviews at each individual company. Avoid working with too many recruitment agencies. Often several companies will all be recruiting for the same brief, so it’s possible that you could receive calls from multiple agencies regarding the same position, wasting your time and theirs.
Applying for roles
Search through specialist job boards on a daily basis, boards are constantly updated with new opportunities so make sure you don’t miss out on your perfect role. If a role you’re interested in is managed by a consultancy, then give them a call; they will be able to tell you everything you need to know about the role. They will also know what the company is looking for in a candidate, helping you to recognise if you’re a good match for the position. Demonstrating a level of keenness will keep you in the forefront of the consultant’s mind, hopefully resulting in your CV making it into candidate shortlist for the appropriate roles! Finally, be selective about what you apply for. A scatter gun approach could do you more harm than good and you may begin to lose track of your applications.
Interviews
At this stage, the company has recognised something in you that they believe could be of value to them, so this is your chance to prove yourself! Know your CV back to front and make sure there is nothing you may be caught out on. Be prepared to give examples of your experience and skills when asked, have a clear explanation as to why you want the job and your reasons for leaving your current organisation. Research the company you are going to be interviewing with and know the market in which they operate; this way you can be confident with any questions that may come your way in the interview. You can make use of LinkedIn again at this stage to look up the people you’ll be interviewed by. You may find some unexpected common ground or an industry you’ve both worked in. Gaining an insight into the person and how long they have worked for the company may provide you with a great chance to ‘flip’ the interview if necessary.
Accepting the job
You’ve been offered the job! The company will hopefully have made an offer package that is exactly what you’re looking for, but what if the salary falls short? In this situation a little negotiation may be required, ask your consultant why the offer is below what you’re looking for and find out if there’s any room for manoeuvre. Remember, it’s their job to secure you for the client so they will certainly ask the question for you. If it’s not through a recruitment consultancy, then sound out people in your network as to whether the package offered is suitable. Keep in mind that the company now wants you, it’s best for both parties to iron out any problems now. Once you’ve agreed on a final package you can now be happy about accepting the offer, congratulations! Relax, celebrate and look forward to your new job!
