How to find a new role
You may have lost your training agreement or job as a result of the pandemic. Emotions like shock, upset and anger are all very normal in these circumstances and many people have to go through these emotions to get to a point of acceptance.
Even people with the thickest skins find rejection difficult. When something important to you is taken away, it can be very hard. Seek out the people you know and whose opinions you trust. Talking your situation through will help you vent some of those emotions and will help you get to a place where you can plan for your new future with energy and positivity.
It is important to recognise that organisations are still hiring. Some companies and sectors have prospered throughout the pandemic and they show no sign of slowing down their recruitment plans. Many others, of course, have been impacted and redundancies are increasing, especially many government job protection schemes come to an end. But while many organisations are downsizing, they are also rethinking and reorganising. They are planning for the ‘new normal’ and, for many, that means looking at bringing in new talent to do new and different things.
So how do you find and land a new job? Here are our 3 top tips:
1. Treat your job search like a job itself
Most jobs have tasks, routine and an overall objective. You know what you have to do, when it’s got to be done by and what you are seeking to achieve. Apply these same principles to your job search and you will have a plan. Your plan should start with the overall objective. Take some time to think about the skills and potential you have, the roles you want, the sectors and companies that are of interest. You can then start honing your CV, so it is focused on your end game. Then research employment agencies who specialise in the areas you are targeting. Register your CV and make contact with individual recruiters. Make your approach email personalised and engaging. Ensure you are looking at LinkedIn and relevant job boards. Above all, you should be networking. In the current climate, this will help you make quicker progress. Once you have your plan, set yourself daily and weekly goals. This will help to keep you motivated and energised.
2. Make sure you stand out
It is true that there are roles out there. But it is also true that there will be increased competition for every role so you must stand out. Now is the time to think about your personal brand. Spend some time thinking about everything you’ve done. Everything thing you’ve learnt and all the silks you’ve developed. And then think about what you stand for. What are your values? All of this comes together to form your personal brand. Authenticity is a key ingredient of any successful brand. Do not try to be someone else. You are who you are. Find ways of articulating who you are and what you stand for. Be genuine and you will be more confident, more believable, and more credible. Your profile and activity on LinkedIn needs to stand out so recruiters find you and think you are a strong candidate. Make new connections, share content, comment on posts and publish your own posts. During online events contribute to the debate, ask questions and have a view. All of this will build your profile and make you more visible.
3. Tailor every application
This can help differentiate you from the competition. Recruiters spend minutes, sometimes seconds, scanning CVs and applications. Look closely at the advert and, if you have it, the role profile. What are they specifically looking for? What are the key priorities of the role and essential requirements in the person spec? Make sure your CV or application highlight your achievements, experience and skills that match. That might mean amending your personal profile, changing the order of the bullet points under each role, describing an achievement in a little more detail. Ultimately, you want the recruiter to immediately see you are a good fit and put your CV on the “yes to interview” pile.
And don’t forget that before a human being has seen your CV or application, a recruitment system will probably have scanned it first. This is where key words play a critical role. Again, look closely at the advert or role profile. What are the most important aspects and make sure you weave those words or phrases into your CV. For example, you may talk about Account Management whilst the employer may refer to Client Partner. Tailor your CV accordingly. This will all take time but the effort that will pay off.
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