Job Hunting - 9 things you need to know

In this recession, managing your career throws up some challenges, so what you’ll need is a determined and focused attitude with a lot of net research thrown in for good measure. Look at the bigger picture, research your industry and use the search engines to help you look at articles about your sector and check out what the most recession-proof jobs are, so that you can target them.

Change the way you think
It’s a different type of market now. You may be brilliant, with an exceptional academic record and bags of experience, but in this climate you also need to remember that there are lots of other people out there with equally good or more diverse skills, so you need to stand out. Start thinking from the employer’s perspective and what will be in it for them if they employ you. Of course you need to confident, but not to the extent that you think they can’t do without you. The fact that you’ve been in your last job for years and know everything about your role inside out, will not guarantee you the next job. It’s up to you to demonstrate how you can be an asset to them, not the other way round.

Show your achievements
Your CV is a sales tool so make sure it is up to date, with good detail on your previous posts – employers cannot guess what you have done or your skills set! Without a good CV, there will be no interview (more CV advice later in the series). Write a concise and warm covering letter which introduces you, has a paragraph summarising your experience and the last paragraph should thank the reader for the time they have spent considering your application. By all means use CV / Covering letter templates that you find on the web as a guide, but don’t copy them verbatim, as you should always personalise your communications.

Demonstrate your abilities
When you go to an interview, the company will look not only at your previous experience but on what you can bring to them. Will you help their organization save money because of the skills you have and your ability to decrease wastage or maximize staff performance? Or does your experience mean you will make them money due to your up-selling skills? Whatever your strengths, make sure it is on your CV and in your conversations with the company.

To get the point across, you need to think about what you have been able to achieve in your previous jobs i.e. where you improved departmental performance, how you saved the company money and why you can motivate others to be more effective. Show your prospective employer what a benefit you will be to their team by stating the percentage by which you increased productivity or sales. It’s far more impressive to say “decreased wastage by 18% in the first quarter” than “also decreased wastage”. Or, “sales increased by 15% in the first quarter, through e-targeting existing clientele” which is far better than “increased sales for the company”,

Talk to yourself
Once you’ve got your job functions clear in your own head and you have written it into your CV, you need to do some role plays i.e. mock interviews. Yes, I do mean either getting a friend to play the role of employer firing questions that you must answer with clarity or, just use a mirror and play both the roles of employer and yourself. You may laugh, but this practice will be invaluable to you and when you get into a real time situation, you’ll handle it with ease. Practice really does make perfect.

Network
Speak to people in your sector, use social networking sites and get yourself out there. If you know someone who works for a successful company, why not offer to help out for a week or two at no cost to the company? This is a foot in the door and will also give you the benefit of additional experience. By making sure your contribution shines, you could be noticed by the employer. Remember, an employer is far more likely to take someone known to them for a permanent role when they arise, because they have been able to measure your skills and you have been brought in by someone they trust.

Freelance
Contact companies (by email with that all important CV and covering letter attached) that you’d like to work for, letting them know of your skills and experience, and say that you are available for short term contracts. In this market, you may be just what they need as they may not have the budget as yet for a full time permanent role yet could have an opportunity that needs to be filled by you.

The Search
Look for jobs online, through trade publications, in newspapers and on the websites of your industry trade associations. Be organised and do a spreadsheet or list of all the jobs you have applied for, the contact details and the date you sent your application. Do another list of all the websites you’ve visited that you like and want to return to. It may take a few days for your application to get a response but after about a week, follow up your application with a polite email or phone call. It may be that the company had a glitch in their system and didn’t receive your details, so don’t just write them off until you have checked the status.

Prepare
Once you have secured a meeting with a potential employer, you must research the company so that you can show your understanding of what their business is all about and why you would like to be a part of it. This research will also give you the tools to make a list of questions you would like to ask of them on interview and will also give you something to talk about.

Most importantly
Start doing the above and you have a better chance of being hired. As Winston Churchill once said “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference”.


Coming next – Productive Job Hunting


© Linda Meehan, CEO & Recruitment Advisor