Many of our customers ask us ‘how can I find and secure the job I really want?’ So we thought we would set some of our Top Tips for job searching effectively.
1. ALWAYS tailor your covering letter and CV to the position, employers want to know you are making the effort and want to see the specific experience you have that relates to their job.
2. Unless there is instructions regarding when you can expect to hear back, after two weeks email or, ideally, call asking the employer when to expect feedback. Yes, they might be busy, and yes, you might feel uncomfortable, but all they can accuse you off is being enthusiastic and when they do eventually get round to screening your CV they will remember how well you and how well you came across.
3. Investigate your local market and find two or three good recruitment agencies relating to your field, call them , send them your CV and make sure you call them every fortnight. When a position does become available they will remember you as you will be at the forefront of their mind. They will hopefully send your CV straight over to their employer.
4. Keep a record of all the jobs you apply for and the contact details of whom you sent the application to. There is nothing more embarrassing than an employer phoning you about a job and it is obvious you can’t remember any of the details about it (especially if you apply for several dozen!!).
5. Make sure your mobile voicemail has a professional greeting as this may be your first impression to a prospective employer. If your voicemail is unprofessional the employer might not even leave a message and then you have missed out. Don’t just have the network’s recorded message either. Say ‘hi you have reached the voicemail of………………… please leave your name, number and a short message and I will get back to you’. Simple!
6. A lot of employers might not use job search sites such as Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn, or S1jobs etc, instead using their own website for advertising positions. Write a list of companies you are interested in working for and regularly check their website for any new jobs (depending on your field, a speculative letter and follow up call may be more effective if positions only come up every so often).
7. Word of mouth is still one of the most successful ways to job search. Make sure your friends and family know you are looking. If it is appropriate to do so update your LinkedIn (subtly) and social media informing people that you currently seeking work. It may sound ‘old school’ or perhaps a bit open but it can be very effective in finding that golden opportunity.
Happy job hunting!