2019 is all about your job search. I have been recruiting for a number of years and have seen many job seekers who can’t find work simply because they (unbeknown to them) make some fundamental mistakes.

Here are my tips to make your job search more effective in 2019.

Know what you want

Before you start your job search make sure you know what you want to achieve in the long run. The average person will work 40 years and 72,000 hours, so you want to get this right as soon as possible.

Ask yourself:

1. What are you really good at? – interpersonal, knowledge, skills
2. What do you really enjoy doing (again, and again)
3. What are the ‘must haves’ for you in your work? Is it money, satisfaction, a career path, values, people, location, type of work etc
4. What or who influences your career choice? For example – family, money, you, other?
5. Do want a job, or a career? Where do you want to be in the future?
6. What do you need to do in order to ensure you make the right choices?

Answers to the above will dictate how you conduct your next job search and what position you should be applying for.

Resume/CV

• Ensure your CV is up to date, your current position. If you are unemployed or perhaps just doing some contract, temporary or volunteer work, make sure that is written on your CV.
• Research a good resume template so it looks professional and is easy to read by the hiring manager.
• Ensure there are no spelling mistakes
• Ensure to highlight the skills and qualifications that match the position you are applying for
• If you are looking for a career change; you should highlight your transferable skills and core attributes – Less focus on your work history and experience (unless relevant)
• Remember that your CV is a sales tool, so make it count!

Cover Letter

Write a cover letter that addresses the key criteria of the position you are applying for.

Let your prospective employer know what you are all about as a person and how your values and characteristics align with their culture

Contact Detail

• Ensure that your contact details are correct
• Have a professional message on your mobile
• Have a dedicated email for your professional communication; make sure the email address is appropriate and professional. Emails like Hottie69@….. Doesn’t work in your favor

Social Media Profile

Clean up your social media profiles, whether you feel this is right or wrong; prospective employers will check you out on social media platforms. If you like to keep your social media profile secure, ensure your setting are set correctly so they can’t find you online. However, I feel you will not do yourself any favour; employers like to check their prospective employees online. So my suggestion would be to create a professional profile on a platform such as LinkedIn and have the link available on your CV. This way you have satisfied the potential employer and you might create more opportunities being found by recruiters or potential employers. I would suggest researching how to create a good LinkedIn profile.

Realistic Expectation – Research the market

Understand what you need or want to earn and then research what the market offers for the position you are applying for and in the relevant region.

I see this quite often where people returning to work from FIFO positions  – Looking to earn the same salary as they have enjoyed while in that arrangement. Salaries are also generally higher in capital or larger Cities and people who are applying for positions in regional cities may have to re-adjust their expectations.

Research your prospective employer

Research the company you are applying for. You can try Glassdoor, but mainly the large companies are listed there. TripAdvisor (Tourism and Hospitality Industry) will give you an excellent understanding how a business treats their customers. Facebook is also a good source for information and of course there is Google…. No matter who the employer is, you should be able to find the information that you are looking for. LinkedIn is an excellent tool if you know the names of the senior people in the organisation.

Network on and off line 

It is important that you involve yourself in networking whether it’s online or offline. There is networking and there is networking, make sure you get into the circle of people that will lead you to better job opportunities. Get onto forums that relate to the profession and the industry you are looking to gain employment in. Get involved in associations and networks that pertain to those industries. Seek people in the industries and look for a person that can connect you to the person you like to get in front of. LinkedIn is a great platform for this. Find a recruitment agent that can work with you.

Interview time

Getting to the interview stage is not that easy, so make sure to make the most of it…

Prepare for the interview, meaning;

• Research the company and the hiring manager, ‘Charlie’, ‘Crystal Knows or LinkedIn are good if you looking to gain some info on the person who will be interviewing you
• Ensure you know what the job is all about and how your skills match the key criteria
• Dress accordingly. Dress like you were employed in that position; research the dress code of the business
• Greet the person appropriately, most people like to have their hands shaken and looked in the eyes, but it depends on the culture of the company
• A good hiring manager will ask you some behavioral style of questions, so make sure to be prepared for them
• Be honest but polite and do not lie!  A skilled interviewer will find out the truth fairly quickly if they suspect that you are not truthful
• Don’t bag your previous employers

I hope these tips will open up more opportunities in your job hunting through 2019.

If you are interested in some further advice or coaching please don’t hesitate to contact me here at Signature Staff, email me on vlasta@signaturestaff.com.au or connect with me on LinkedIn.

All the best with your job search!