Efficient Job Searching

Searching for a job can become a full-time job, so it is important to be organised and concentrated on what it is you are searching for, ensuring you stay focussed as it can be easy to become despondent and unmotivated when you are not getting the responses you hope for.

Here we give you some useful Job-Hunting tips, including how to optimise your chances of getting your CV and you noticed.

First things first, have you asked yourself what you want from your next role and the type of company you wish to work for going forward?  It is worth going back to basics to think about your last few jobs and list the pros and cons of each.  If you are in a place to make a change, whether through redundancy or by choice this is the time to really think about what you want in terms of your work life balance and the employment challenges you seek.

Once you are have search requirements list for both the job and the company, this is the time to create/amend your CV, ensuring it is up to date with key information and skill sets, whilst making it attractive to the market you have chosen. Keep your CV short, sharp and to the point, and spend time creating a personal statement at the start, as this is the initial engagement your potential employer will read and absorb.  Giving too much information in terms of all your job descriptions may well leave you with little to discuss at interview, however it is about a good balance and showing your knowledge and achievements and ideally matching them to the current role you are applying for.

https://www.clockwork-recruitment.co.uk/files/how-to-write-a-cv.pdf

As mentioned, your personal statement/profile is the first thing that a future employer will see, so it’s vitally important to spend time writing this and basically sell yourself in this section, someone reading a badly written profile might not read on, especially if it has errors,  so ensure your accuracy. Adapting your profile for each job you apply for is key as you need to sell the relevant and transferable  key skills you have that the potential employer has asked for.  It is something as a recruitment agency we highly recommend including in your CV as it is an excellent summary of who you are as a person, your achievements and the type of role and company you are most suitable for. Go over to our website resources for further help on how to write your profile and covering letter. https://www.clockwork-recruitment.co.uk/files/personal-profile-development.pdf

Enhance your on-line profile.

You may think that LinkedIn is the only online platform that an employer will want to see, but do not be fooled by this, they might take a glance at all your social media channels, so ensure they are looking professional during your job search, however, don’t take your personality out as that is what they might be looking for, using your common sense here is the best action.

Expand your network.

Start getting involved on platforms such as LinkedIn, responding to individuals/group or companies’ posts will help get you noticed.  Reach out to ex-colleagues for recommendations on how they have been successful in the past with job hunting, and whether there are any opportunities they are aware of. Getting colleagues/clients to recommend you on LinkedIn is a very positive form of communication.  Ensure all your contacts know that you are on the lookout for a new job.  Connect with local recruitment agencies on their social media platforms too, Clockwork Recruitment for instance always advertise their roles and give excellent job-hunting hints and tips.

Where to start when you have your CV, Profile and On line presence ready.

Most jobs are now advertised online, Google is a wonderful thing, just search for the job title and location you desire and if by magic a whole list of jobs will appear. Watch out for those jobs that are out of date when you do it this way.  There are plenty of job boards, such as Reed, CV Library, Indeed and some specialist ones too, find the one that best suits your skills set and gets you the best results. Upload your CV and be prepared for the onslaught of emails that come in daily if you sign up to job notifications and many of them might not be relevant. We always recommend setting up an email address just for job hunting then your personal emails do not get lost in the mix.

Recruitment Agencies are the other route – get the right one for you!

Recruitment Agencies are not always a job seekers first port of call. By using a reputable Recruitment Agency, you will get a more considered and personal service, something that you do not get by applying for jobs direct on a job board (remember all they see is a CV, not a personality or someone willing to take on a challenge).  Good recruiters should talk you through your CV, make recommendations, and draw out information that you may not have considered relevant.  They also have a database of clients that might be interested in your skills, personality, and knowledge of their industry or similar. You gain direct feedback from any job applications as well as constructive feedback from any interviews you attend, helping you learn and grow for any future interview opportunities.  Established Recruitment Agencies, such as Clockwork Recruitment will have spent years gaining a variety of clients and will have taken time to know their clients work ethic, business needs and what their clients are looking for in a strong candidate, so will give you an honest opinion if they think you are suitable or not.  As well as having links to HR Managers who may not currently have a role listed but may well be interested in meeting you and creating an opportunity due to your excellent work history.  Fundamentally good Recruitment Agencies will take the time to get to know you and your requirements and then have a much stronger ability to sell you and your capabilities prior to you gaining an interview.

Applying Direct

We currently find ourselves in a candidate driven market and with so many people unfortunately losing their jobs to redundancy, you will find that a lot of companies are advertising their own roles and directly recruiting themselves. So, if you have listed some companies that you would like to work for, check out their careers page on their website (if available) and their Job section on their LinkedIn page to see if they are advertising something suitable for you.  If you do not see something that is compatible for you and you are keen to work for them, then either search for a good contact and see if you can send your CV directly with a covering letter to them expressing your interest or contact a Recruitment Agency to see if they have a good working relationship with that particular company and could help gain you an interview or at least a telephone conversation.  Always follow up on any applications that you have made and remember everyone is adapting to the new way of working now, and immediate responses may not be available due to workload, so pushing yourself to the top is important (whilst not becoming an annoyance). Do you best not to get despondent if you do not hear back as not all companies do respond unfortunately. (Another reason why working with a Recruitment Agency may be a better way forward as they always try to get a response from a client, one way or another).

Recognise your own Talents!

Searching and applying for a job in a candidate driven market can be tough, you will need to ensure you are a perfect match to get a good chance of being part of the final selection process with so much competition. If you are applying for a position that you are not the exact match for or lack some of the criteria required, then make sure you sell yourself in the other areas that you are strong in or give good explanation about why you believe in yourself and your experience for the position. Another struggle you may have in this current climate is that you may be applying for jobs that you are over qualified for, we get why you would do this, you are out of work and keen to get into employment and you can afford to take a drop in salary, some businesses will find this an added bonus getting all that extra knowledge and talent, others however will be wary that the position you are applying for will be a stop gap until the market changes and you can find a job that you have the skills to apply for at a better salary.  If you are lucky to get an interview for a job that you are overqualified for, you will have to work hard on your interview pitch and convince the employer you are applying for all the right reasons.

Consider Temping

When someone loses a job unexpectedly or just needs to move on quickly than expected, finding yourself unemployed can be a very daunting prospect.  So, we highly recommend you speak to a Recruitment Agency such as ours to discuss temporary or even long-term contract roles.  You never know where these contracts could lead.

Be Patient, Keep an Open Mind and Utilise All That Is Available to You

So, in conclusion, it is a tough jobs market out there now for sure, however, many industries have thrived during these times and are seeking new employees due to high growth levels.  Be as patient as you can whilst job searching, and ensure you have covered all job search opportunities, such as job boards, Recruitment Agencies, social media platforms, friends and families etc.