Our Most Useful Tips for Job Hunters… Still Relevant today!

We first compiled our useful tips for job hunters in 2012 and up until 2024, the jobs market has changed very little for candidates. There have been an abundance of jobs available and not enough candidates available to fill them. This has all changed very recently, however, since the coronavirus crisis the recruitment landscape now looks dramatically different. The candidate-driven market job hunters have become accustomed to has been flipped on its head and is now working in the employers’ favour.

For employers, this is fantastic news because they won’t need to work as hard to attract the individuals they are looking for. Job seekers, on the other hand, are going to have to seriously up their game if they want to stand out to potential employers.

Our Top Ten Most Useful Tips For Job Hunters

To bring our advice into line with the current climate, we have rewritten our list of top ten most useful tips for job hunters, below:

1 – Have a Five-Year Plan

A common excuse for not having a five-year plan is fear of missing out on opportunities by focusing on a particular goal. Although having a specific goal to aim for doesn’t mean that you have to turn down a fantastic opportunity that comes along. Stating where you hope to see yourself in five year’s time, simply gives you something to work towards. It’s OK to change your mind.

Keep in mind that the job you are applying for now is unlikely to be the same job you find yourself doing in five year’s time. Due to the current circumstances, there are fewer desirable jobs available right now than there were six months ago.

Of course, there is no shame in applying for a job to pay the bills. However, it is wise to keep the bigger picture in mind and consider where the next job you apply for might lead. Applying for an entry-level role in Tech Support now might open the door to becoming a Business Analyst further down the line.

2 – Seek Advice

Networking is a fantastic way to find job opportunities but many people feel intimidated by the idea of attending events and making conversation with strangers. Alternatively, you may try online meetups or social networking sites.

Whether in person or online, asking for advice from those in the know is the most subtle form of networking and can be extremely effective. Those you ask for advice usually take it as a compliment that you value their expertise, which can encourage their willingness to help you if they are in a position to do so.

For example, maybe you’re just leaving university and struggling to find your first work placement. Why not try asking your parents to arrange a telephone conversation with one of their colleagues about what a day in their working life is like. Even if they don’t have any job openings in their department, they may be able to introduce you to someone else who has.

3 – Leave no Stone Unturned

Don’t just register with one of the many job boards available. When advertising roles, hiring managers very rarely to subscribe to all of them because of their hefty subscription fees. So by only registering with the first one you come across, you might be limiting yourself to only a small selection of jobs available.

4 – Be Consistent

Of course, if you are posting your CV on multiple job sites, make sure that they are consistent across the board. The same goes for social media channels – particularly LinkedIn. When a hiring manager gets hold of a good looking CV, most will check out the applicant’s social media channels before they go any further. If your profile doesn’t have a picture or they spot any inconsistencies, it is unlikely your application will go any further.

5 – If in Doubt, Apply!

Too many of us suffer from imposter syndrome when it comes to applying for jobs. If you don’t know what this is, it’s a condition that has us fearing that we’re not capable enough to perform our jobs.

Recent research confirms that when conducting a job search, applicants will often only apply for jobs they feel 100% confident they can do it. Does this sound familiar to you? If so, did you ever stop to think what might happen if you were about 80% capable and the other applicants were only 40%? You might just get the job if you apply! On the other hand, you’ll never know what might have been if you don’t submit an application.

7 – Craft a Smart Application

You should always tailor your CV and cover letter for every application you submit. While this might sound like hard work, consider this – What’s more time consuming, submitting a handful of tailored applications and getting one response or submitting thirty generic applications and getting no responses at all?

Furthermore, make sure your contact details such as your phone number and email address are clearly displayed on your CV. There is nothing more frustrating for a hiring manager than finding the perfect CV with no contact details on!

8 – Work on your skills

Gaps in your CV looks terrible to an employer. If you do find yourself unemployed as a result of the coronavirus crisis, for example, why not take a course? This way, you can avoid having an unexplained gap on your CV and instead fill it with a period of studying.

9 – Prepare for interviews

The most valuable interview tip we have to offer our candidates is that preparation is key! Let’s just say, two candidates walk into an interview room with similar-looking CVs but one has prepared and the other hasn’t. Who do you think will get the job offer? The one who has prepared will be almost guaranteed to win.

10 – Follow up With a Phone Call

So many candidates have anxiety about using the phone these days that this hardly ever happens any more. Consequently, if you make the effort to follow up your interview with a phone call, you will be the one who stands out.

If the interviewers are struggling up to make their mind, it may just tip the scales in your favour. On the other hand, if you are unsuccessful, this call gives you the opportunity to ask for feedback. Feedback after unsuccessful interviews can be invaluable because it can give you an indication of what you need to do to be successful next time around.

We hope you have found our list of useful tips for job hunters worthwhile. If so, please share this post on social media where other job hunters may find them useful too!