A little detective work can go a long way in your job search.
Traditionally, job searching involves browsing job boards, selecting roles that are relevant to your experience or career goals, and then sending off your application.
A more proactive approach can transform your job hunt.
With proactive outreach, you can discover new opportunities, build strong professional relationships, and create a tailored CV that gets you fast-tracked to interview.
In this blog, we will cover the different methods of proactive outreach, and how to use the information you gather to set your job search apart.
The different kinds of job searching
There are two different kinds of job searching:
Reactive job searching: This involves searching through job boards, responding to adverts, and then waiting for a recruiter or employer to contact you. Usually, you will apply to a wide range of roles, and send the same version of your CV for each role.
This means that if no relevant jobs are currently being advertised, you could end up staying in your current role a lot longer than anticipated – resulting in missed opportunities and potentially stagnating your career.
Proactive job searching: This is where you take matters into your own hands! Proactive job searching involves actively seeking out opportunities that might not even be advertised and doing research to ensure you can position yourself as an ideal candidate for a specific role.
Proactive outreach in your job search also helps you build a name for yourself in your field, so more opportunities come your way in the future.
Your proactive outreach strategy will largely depend on whether a role is internal or external.
How to proactively reach out about internal roles
Speak to hiring managers
If you’re interested in exploring opportunities with your current employer, reach out to hiring managers directly to find out about existing and future openings in their teams.
When you speak to them, ask them what they are looking for in the role so you can understand where your skills and experience fit in.
You should also try to gain insight into:
- Current team dynamics
- The main challenges within the department
- Upcoming key projects or milestones
This insight will help you create application documents that go the extra mile.
Identify internal learning opportunities
Next, think about different ways to build new skills and showcase your expertise in front of the right people.
Reach out to relevant people to find out about any upcoming presentations, volunteering roles, or special projects you could get involved with.
These professional development opportunities will help bolster your skills and experience, and demonstrate that you are willing to go the extra mile.
How to proactively reach out about external roles
Get into the right rooms
The key to proactive outreach is networking, so this needs to be your top priority.
Attend as many events as you can to build your professional network, such as:
- Industry events
- Conferences
- Panel discussions
The goal is to meet like-minded people in your industry who can provide insights into specific roles and companies you are interested in.
Try as much as possible to connect with people at a similar stage in their career or those senior to you. This ensures you are having the right conversations with the most appropriate contacts.
Start conversations
You should also consider tapping into your existing network.
If you are interested in working in a specific field, contact industry-specific recruiters who will have links with relevant companies.
Alternatively, if you are focused on a particular organisation, reach out to any existing employees you already know for advice on how to make your application stand out.
Ensure these conversations are always reciprocal. Although you are seeking new opportunities, you should also provide advice or solutions if you end up discussing challenges in the company or industry.
This helps people to build trust in your expertise and ensures they think of you when new opportunities present themselves.
Build your personal brand
Proactive outreach doesn’t always need to be on an individual basis.
Posting content on LinkedIn, for example, with your opinion or insights about key industry news and trends, can build your reputation as a thought leader in your space.
This means that when opportunities arise, your name will be the first people think of and they’ll reach out to you instead of the other way round.
Using proactive outreach to write your CV
After all this work, it’s time to tailor your CV!
A tailored CV is the secret ingredient to a proactive job search.
Align your experience and skills directly with the role requirements, based on the insights you have gathered.
Your goal with your CV is to present a compelling case as to why you are the perfect fit for the role. The more you can tailor your skills and experiences to the requirements of a position, the more you will stand out from other applicants.
For example: If your discussions with a hiring manager indicate that the team is struggling with adapting to new technology or systems, emphasise your experience in guiding teams through change. Highlight instances where you’ve successfully trained colleagues, introduced streamlined processes, or supported digital transformation efforts to improve efficiency.
Once you have sent your application, don’t forget to follow up.
Instead of waiting for someone to get back to you, reach out to your contact within the company with a polite email to confirm you have applied for a role and reiterate your interest in working there.
This simple but effective action can help keep you in the hiring manager’s mind when they are reviewing applications. Just make sure you don’t follow up repeatedly, as this can be quite off-putting!
Proactive job hunting helps you take control of your job search. It can help you discover new opportunities, build valuable relationships, and – most importantly – ensure you choose the right role, rather than spending time applying for unsuitable jobs.
Even when you have a clear understanding of a role’s expectations, creating a CV that demonstrates your skills and experience can be a challenge. Our expert writers can help you refine your CV by aligning your skills directly with the requirements of an individual role.
To find out more about our process, browse our CV writing packages or book a call with a member of our team.