Advice

Some Advice

Job hunting is a frustrating and stressful time for anyone. You’re spending your life juggling various applications, phone calls and interviews, and constantly checking emails for any updates. If you’re not having the success, you’d like with your job hunt, you must keep positive and try some new tactics . Find out where your job search might be going wrong and what you could be doing better.
 
It’s important that you don’t put all your eggs in one basket and get fixed on a single job opportunity. Keep your eyes out for all vacancies with potential, that match your skill set and apply to as many as possible. The more roles you apply to, the more likely you’ll find yourself in a great job.
 
It’s not just about the number of applications you make, you also need to ensure that you are tailoring each application for the best chance of success. Your cover letter is an important asset in any job application, it’s your best opportunity to distinguish & convey yourself in the best light. You can use your cover letter to engage the employer’s attention to the key skills and experience that would make you the perfect candidate for the job.
 
It’s also important to give your social media accounts a clean up such as Linked In when you’re job hunting. Make sure there’s nothing inappropriate or unprofessional visible on any of your profiles, it’s
usually best to set everything to private so you’re only sharing with your friends.
 
If you are looking for a career change, before doing so take some time to step back and evaluate what you don’t like about your current situation. Think about, is it the job itself or is it the organisation, culture, or your management? It may be that these certain things are clouding your vision on what you want/need, so take yourself back to why you joined the industry in the first place. Focus on your strengths and understand your weaknesses. Identify what the right type of ‘dream job’ is by matching your motivations, strengths, preferred working styles and goals to specific roles, industries, and types of organisations, this will help you path the way to you success.
 
There will be times when it will gets tough with your career or when changing your job. So keep the momentum going with success stories from people who have been in your position. They can be a great source of inspiration, ideas and practical tips to learn from. If they can do it, you can do it.
Temporary or permanent?
Decide the term of which you require a new candidate. As in the case of unexpected absences, busy periods, or skills shortages for specific projects, a temporary or fixed-term professional may be enough to help your organisation . In more senior roles, interim managers can help the
business take a next step, before handing things back to the permanent staff.
Define your role requirements
Identify the key requirements you need for your business by determining three essential skills you must see in the candidates’ resume. If you over demand a skill set it may be more difficult for you to find the right candidate’ by being to stringent on your requirement.
Define your corporate culture
Think about your fit in terms of behaviours and culture – what is acceptable and not acceptable to your business? Make sure you have a clear picture about the work environment in order to select candidates that will gel well within the organisation.
Write a specification
Once you have decided exactly what you need from your new team member, you need to articulate this into a specification. Your chosen recruiter should always assist you to do this, offering insight into the candidate market to ensure you appeal to those most likely to suit you.
Management Advise:
• Take time to understand the business in which you are operating.
• Develop time-management skills.
• Practice active listening skills.
• Know how to motivate and lead employees.
• Continue your own training and development.
• Don’t stay isolated in the office.
• Don’t pretend you know all the answers.
• Don’t take all the credit.
• Don’t expect employees to be perfect.
• Learn to delegate effectively.
1. Be honest and be succinct. Your CV should fit onto two pages of A4 paper and resist the urge to over give unnecessary information.
 
2. Tailor it to specific jobs & job requirements While a “one size fits all” approach certainly saves time, if you’re applying to multiple positions each with its own specialty & focus, tweaking the contents just slightly to include keywords and key phrases from the job description allows you to point out exactly what you have that matches what the employer wants and needs.
 
3. Stay current. Regardless of whether you’re actively hunting for work or not, you never know when you might come across someone who needs someone just like you! Always ensure you always update your CV complete employment or achieve something i.e. training qualification.
 
4.Avoid gaps within the CV. An employment gap raises questions, even if the reasons for that gap are completely legitimate. If you’ve been out of work, spin it positively to your advantage. Were you taking classes? Volunteering? Increasing your skills? Or simply state career break for family if needed. Always give some sort of explanation.
 
5. Explain in full your experience. Incorporating strong, positive language like “developed,” “organised,” or “achieved” that connects your experience and skills to
what the job seeks.
 
6. Tell the truth. Embellishing may be tempting but lying on your CV opens a can of worms you don’t need, especially when potential employers check your references and your background. Just say no. Stick to the truth always ad you can also portray yourself as a bad character.
 
7. Ensure no Errors.Take the time to proofread for mistakes in grammar, spelling, mechanics, and formatting. Hiring managers look for problems in a Cv “reject” quickly in order to look at the next. Don’t give them an easy out.
 
8. Specifics. Potential employers like solid numbers, so if you suggested process improvements which increased revenue, specify what those sales increased by. Did you Cut overhead costs? Did you increase revenue? Always mention these facts.
 
9. Look . Image really is crucial , take time to plan an appealing layout that’s organized and easy to follow. Use a combo paragraph/bullet format for job descriptions and key skills. Simplicity is key – and so is white space!
 
10. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These systems look for industry keywords and buzzwords, so research the words most commonly used words in jobs with the titles you seek. These words help those ATS search engines pull your CV from the pile.
Prepare for the Interview
First, make sure that you know the time that the interview is scheduled for, where the interview will take place, the name and job title of the person who will interview you, and whether you need to bring anything to the interview.
 
Then gather as much information as you can about the company. Having this background information also makes it easier for you to think of questions to ask the employer during your
interview. Find out the essential elements of the job and think about how they match your skills and interests.
 
Allow extra time for unexpected delays. If the place of interview is in a busy part of town or where parking spaces are limited, you may want to consider using public transportation.
 
Dress for Success- First impression.
Your appearance says a lot about you. To make the best first impression at your interview, be clean, well groomed, and nicely dressed. A good rule of thumb is to dress one step above what you would wear on the job, or at minimum in good, clean dress clothing.
 
Practice
Try a mock interview to fully prepare you for what to expect. Several days before your interview, have a friend or family member ask you interview questions.
 
The Interview
Most if not all interviews start with introductions, handshakes, and casual conversation. Be energetic and enthusiastic, smile, and offer a firm handshake. It is fine for you to initiate the
handshake. Sit up straight in the chair giving off confidence and professional impression. Look the potential employer in the eye, because good eye contact means that you are interested in
the person and confident in yourself.
 
The interviewer may give you a lot of detail about the job, or he or she may start by asking about you. Many times job interviews turn into conversations, and that is fine. Feel free to ask
questions throughout the interview. Remain composed and enthusiastic to show how well you work under pressure. It is also important to articulate your skill set to the interviewer. Although
you need to answer the questions they ask, it is essential to illustrate your skills and abilities through your answers to the questions and make your qualifications clear to the interviewer.
 
Expect that the interviewer will have a prepared list of questions and may take notes as you answer the questions. Do not be concerned if the interviewer is writing things down.
 
After the Interview
Thank the interviewer for the time he or she took to interview you, re-emphasize your skills, talents, and abilities, and include anything you may have forgotten to add during the interview or in your résumé that might help get you the job.

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