Tag Archives: Job hunt

There are times when, despite your best efforts, the job hunt slows down. They may be seasonal (eg Christmas, Summer holidays) or because the sector you’re looking to work in goes through quieter times. It’s important to keep the momentum going, so watch our 5 tips for making it happen…

You may also want to check out our blogs on what you shouldn’t do during the search, and how best to use social media in the job hunt.

Today’s guest post comes from Katrina Collier, who helps job seekers come to grips with the changing recruitment landscape. She encourages them to showcase their expertise and coaches on how engage appropriately on social media networks.

Here she looks at some of things that you shouldn’t be doing whilst you search for a new position…

“Job seekers often tell me that the recruitment process has changed so much in the last few years that they feel a little lost.

It’s true, there has definitely been a shift. More and more companies are switching to hiring directly, via job boards and social media, which is great as you now have an opportunity to try a different approach and stand out from the crowd.

If I was a job seeker today, I’d use the tools available on Jobsite to ensure that I heard about advertised roles immediately and I definitely wouldn’t do these 5 things…

Don’t be purely reactive.

Be proactive! Take advantage of the reach you get from social media and go and look for opportunities. Who would you like to work for? Look for their company pages on Facebook or LinkedIn and get involved. Are their staff active on Twitter? Follow them and start a conversation. The majority of HR professionals I train welcome a direct approach as it shows initiative.

Don’t just connect to colleagues.

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see because, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got” In other words, how can you open new doors at new companies if you’re only connecting to colleagues at your current company? Have a look at who your connections know and who they can introduce you to. Be bold, get connected. Continue reading “5 Things You Shouldn’t Do in Your Job Search” »

It isn’t easy to keep momentum going when you’re job hunting. There are many reasons, some seasonal (Christmas, summer holidays) and others because the job market is often cyclical and will create more jobs at some times and less at others.

The important thing is not to lose heart, especially if you’re waiting to hear feedback following applications or interviews.

Here are 5 things you can do to ease the frustration and keep momentum going…

• Get Networking – Have you spoken to enough contacts? Ex-colleagues, other alumni and industry professionals can all open doors to new opportunities. Have you connected to everyone you’ve met on conferences and courses? Don’t forget to let friends and family know you’re job hunting – it may be difficult to say too much but they may well know people who can help you with introductions.
• Brush up Skills and Industry Knowledge – Do you need to bring your knowledge up to date? Contacts may be able to recommend specialist reading, cheap refresher courses or free events that could help. Content sharing on social networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ offer an opportunity to build a library of interesting articles and blogs. Have you subscribed for blog updates and news feeds? Check that you are following all the ones that relate to your industry and skillset.
• Revisit Your CV – There’s plenty of good advice out there for creating the sort of CV that employers are looking for so if you haven’t freshened yours up recently then now is a good time to do that. Also get someone else to take a look at it for you; preferably someone with recruitment experience but it could also be a friend or (ex) colleague who you know will give honest feedback. Even if you’ve had your CV looked over previously, fresh comments from someone who’s good at anticipating what an employer will think, can only be helpful. Remember to make sure that all your skills, capabilities and achievements are set out.
• Arrange a Mock Interview – Whilst we’re on the subject of getting someone else to look at your CV, it could also be worthwhile getting one or two people you know to interview you too. It’s much better to practice with, and get feedback from, friends and family on those tough interview questions than to deal with them for the first time when you’re going for a job you’d love to get. If you are still in touch with an ex-boss or manager they may also be willing to do this for you. And don’t forget to brush up your answers to key questions by visiting our Be My Interviewer site.
• Review Your On-line Presence – If you’re not already on LinkedIn, or haven’t joined groups or forums where potential employers might notice you, then take some time now to sign up and get involved. Read here for some tips to boost your profile. Have people recommended you on LinkedIn? Are people endorsing your skills? Now may be the time to ask, particularly a previous manager who can vouch for your achievements and effectiveness in the role. And if you’ve already got a good on-line presence, then it’s worth checking that your profiles are up to date. Do you need a more professional head and shoulders shot for your avatar?

Whilst it may be difficult to keep the positivity going at times, freshening things up can often lead to renewed impetus.

Let us know of any methods you’ve tried…

Social media platforms give you a great opportunity to connect, engage, share and learn. And they also provide an opportunity for you to create a ‘buzz’ around your personal brand.

They are becoming increasingly popular with job seekers as a way to keep in touch, grow their networks, spread the word, research companies and opportunities and get noticed by recruiters.

Here are 6 things you can start doing now:

• Research companies and industry sectors. Think about the types of organizations you want to work at and research what networks the company and the people that work there are utilizing. Make sure you are on those networks too.
• Develop your on-line professional profile. Almost all recruiters will do a Google or LinkedIn search on potential candidates at some stage. Make sure that when employers find you they are seeing information about your professional accomplishments and background that’s up to date. If you are seriously job hunting then try to reduce the number of amusing videos, photos and links.
• Create a strong LinkedIn profile. Make sure that all your skills, expertise, achievements and jobs are there with a succinct description of where you have added value. Make sure your profile is 100% complete and join Groups that are relevant to your profession or sector. Follow companies that interest you – they may be posting jobs or business updates. Also join any groups managed by your target companies. Don’t just watch what goes on in the groups…join in conversations and post updates.
• Use Twitter to grow your network and contacts. Build relationships with organizations and individuals of interest to you and don’t be afraid to reach out through several social media platforms. Join in any industry-related Twitter chats and become known as someone who participates in conversations around the issues facing your sector. You can impress hiring managers who may be monitoring these chats looking for prospective hires.
• Blog. Start a blog and use it to talk about your industry or skill set. Share stories of your successes and talk about lessons learned when things haven’t worked out. You can also write about hobbies or specific interests to let readers see you as a rounded individual. It may also be a good idea to get someone to interview you for 10 minutes, asking questions about your career and achievements, and post this to your blog. You can then send links to prospective interviewers.
• Become known as an engager and content sharer. Make sure you become known as someone who has access to, and shares, really good content about your industry or sector. Share links, articles, and other relevant social media updates. This will not only raise your on-line profile, but will encourage others to also do the same for you. You can be seen as a go to person for information on what is happening in your sector.

Check out our recent articles about blogging and using LinkedIn, as well as how to get the best out of Google+.

Let us know of any successes you’ve had using social networking platforms as part of a job hunt…