Tips for Job Hunters

Jobs are not like buses. Simply standing by the side of the road will not ensure that a new role will simply come along and scoop you off the pavement.

Finding a new job, changing your career direction, and looking to move up the ladder all involve actual hard work. In order to find a new job, you have to search, and know what you need to do to secure it.

This is certainly true within professional markets, at Signet we see a range of candidates for each role we work on. We interview candidates from HR, Marketing, Sales, Finance and Commercial Support and with our experience in the recruitment industry we have compiled a list of top tips to help you improve your chances of finding and securing a new role.

Signet’s 5 Top Tips

Know your stuff!

The key to success in most areas of life is to prepare well beforehand. If you see a role that you know is right up your alley, don’t just send your standard CV, tinker with it, tailor it to the role and then sent it to the client or agency.

I recently read a CV for an Agency based Marketing Account Manager role, the highlighted key skills of the applicant were a direct match for the key skills advertised to do the job. That candidate got my first call of the day as their CV looked perfect. When we met for a formal interview, the candidate explained that they ensure their CV gives examples of what the role is looking for.

It is a very successful tactic!

Learn from your mistakes.

Job hunting is brutal at times, and we find that at all levels the competition is fierce. In addition clients are looking to hire the best talent around and not settling for second best. In most job hunts you will be rejected at some point. Ask for feedback, find out where you could have improved in the application process and analyse your own performance.

The ability to reflect and learn is important when job hunting. You can always speak to a consultant at Signet about how to improve your interview skills.

Make yourself known.

Most of us change roles at some point in our life, and building a brand reputation outside of your own business is a great tool to help make the transition from one job to the next easier. Having a strong online presence, and being a keen networker will always improve your chances of finding and securing a new position.

Use Twitter to contact peers, share relevant industry content on LinkedIn and comment on posts that interest you. Attend conferences, look for speaking opportunities, make yourself an expert.

Consider all options

Don’t just look for the perfect role, they rarely exist. Forge a relationship with a recruiter you trust and take their guidance. At Signet we pride ourselves on really understanding people’s motivations and introduce candidates to job opportunities they may not have considered previously, but we do it on the strength that we understand our candidates and clients so well that we can match them together.

Likewise, don’t ignore freelance and interim opportunities, they can lead to great long term options or add on some essential skills to your CV which in turn will help you secure the permanent role you really desire.

Know your market

Understanding your sector is vital, I expect anyone I meet from any vertical to have an understanding of what their competitors are doing and how the market is shaping up. Strong candidates can take interviews to another level when they can discuss the economy and their industry on an equal footing.

Going the extra mile will also help you secure the job you want.