Whether you’re searching for your first job after University, or you’re an experienced job hunter, landing a new job can be stressful and at times quite an overwhelming experience. There are multiple ways you can make your job search smoother, and more likely to end in the success of a job offer.
We’ve compiled our top 7 job hunting tips to help you in your search now or in the future:
LinkedIn is emerging as one of the top platforms used by recruiters and organisations alike, recent research has discovered that 90% of recruiters use the platform regularly. With a user base of over 575 million, if you’re not on LinkedIn you’re potentially missing out on thousands of job opportunities.
Before you embark on your job search it’s advisable to make sure your LinkedIn profile is optimised as much as it can be. This means ensuring all relevant experience is listed, you have written a short bio detailing your top skills and ambitions, and qualifications are up to date and accurate.
Utilise LinkedIn to its fullest potential by joining groups relevant to the sector you want to work in following brands you’re interested in working for and sector relevant hashtags, and getting involved with conversations.
There are a few areas to research before applying for jobs in order to make the process less stressful. Firstly, you should research the type of role you’re going to target. Whilst that may seem like a rather simple and obvious tip, if you don’t set out job titles, sectors, and what your skills and qualifications lend you to then you could fall into the trap of applying for jobs you don’t necessarily want. What is more, being able to tell potential employers exactly what you want to do is more likely to impress than being vague and coming across unsure.
We can’t guarantee exactly what your interview will consist of, as interviews vary depending on the company and sector. However, we can advise you to prepare for behavioural interview questions, because if these do arise during your interview you’ll be thankful you prepared ahead! You’ll know you’re being asked of these questions if the interviewer uses phrases such as “describe a time where you demonstrated…” or “tell me about a time whereby you rectified a mistake…” Anytime you’re asked to demonstrate a scenario whereby your skills solved a difficult situation, you’re being asked a behavioural question. Before your interview, write down some stories or instances that showcase your skills so that you can quickly draw upon an example in an interview scenario and aren’t left feeling suddenly blank of any examples.
One of the most crucial job hunting tips is to take the time to tailor you CV to the job you’re applying for. It may require putting aside more time, but it is also more likely to make your CV stand out, so is a worthwhile investment of your time. The goal is to think quality over quantity on this one. Tailoring your CV to a job may take up time meaning you may not be able to apply for loads of jobs, but the quality of the applications you do send will be better. Here are some key steps to tailoring your CV:
Targeted or niche job boards are a valuable tool to use in your job search. Whilst the majority of big name job sites have filters for sector, job title, location etc. you will still have a degree of wading through irrelevant jobs to your personal search. Saving time isn’t the only benefit of targeted job boards, using targeted job boards may actually help you stand out from the crowd a lot more too. This is because often the talent pool on targeted job boards is a lot smaller. For example, if you’re specifically searching for a job as a woman in tech, you’re only interested in a project manager role, or perhaps you’re a software developer, using a niche job board will be a better experience for you because you’ll only be searching through relevant jobs. It is also far more likely for recruiters to post high-quality jobs on niche boards because they are often looking for more specific candidates.
Statistics from a study into the importance of networking by Payscale revealed that between as high as 70-80% of people land their jobs through networking. One of the main reasons networking proves so successful for job hunters is that it’s often a way to learn about a new vacancy before the employer or recruiter has even posted it anywhere.
But how do you get started with networking? Firstly keep the goal of networking at the forefront of your mind so you network with purpose. The goal isn’t to aggressively self-promote but to build a professional connection with others. Here are some quick tips on how to get started with networking:
Having an outstanding CV and cover letter may make someone more likely to get invited to an interview. However, that’s not the sole reason people get hired. Your passion and enthusiasm for your work, your drive, your ambition, your personality, and your work ethic are all traits that can impress recruiters and lead to a job offer despite not having the perfect CV.
To view current vacancies for IT jobs with big brands committed to improving diversity and inclusion in tech click here