Give yourself the edge when job hunting in a difficult market

 5 Nov 2020

This is a follow up to our recent blog on the hidden job market which you can find on our website. Both are derived from our coaching sessions which provided tips to help anyone looking for a new role, especially as a result of redundancy. When you’re job hunting in a difficult or quiet market, it is vital that you have all the bases covered.  A good recruiter will help advise you and will be best placed to give you access to the hidden job market. Here are some of our top tips to give you the edge:

Re-visit your CV

Revisit your CV with a critical eye and make sure it stands out for all the right reasons. Here are the golden rules:

• Tailor it to make sure it is very relevant to each role, even if that means having several copies of your CV.
• Don’t just list your experience but highlight what you can bring that will add value.
• Use power verbs. Check out  the advice from career site The Muse https://www.themuse.com/advice/185-powerful-verbs-that-will-make-your-resume-awesome for a comprehensive list which they pair with a wide variety of competencies.
• Layout - it should be clear and easy to read. Don’t make the decision maker work too hard or they’ll quickly lose interest.

The application process

• For advertised positions, follow the required procedure but make sure you tailor the application. Look at the job spec carefully and think about what you would be looking for if you were recruiting for that role.

• For the hidden job market (https://www.buckley-consulting.co.uk/blog/view/21/the-hidden-job-market.aspx), put together a target list of organisations in your chosen location and specialism. Try and find the manager, head of the team etc. via the website or LinkedIn and get in contact direct via email. You MUST explain why that firm is of interest e.g. excellent reputation, expanding into xxx market, interesting articles about your specialism on the website or social media, approach to diversity etc.

• Do include a covering email which has also been crafted to suit that specific firm/department etc. As well as a brief section on why they are of interest to you, outline how you could add value. This should be short and sweet – your elevator pitch.

• If you are applying directly and you are asked in for interview – remember to ask what format the interview is going to take. A good recruiter will automatically do this for you and help you to prepare with advice on good interview technique and what to expect. If you are applying directly it’s very important to arm yourself with as much information as possible so you know what to expect and how to prepare. This will help to avoid any nasty surprises and make each valuable interview count.

Blogs to help you

We have written numerous blogs to help anyone looking for a new role. These can be easily accessed through our website and include:

• CV essentials.
• 3 easy ways to make your CV stand out.
• Successful job searching during lock down.
• Tell me about a time when (preparation for competency based interviews).
• Top interview tips.

Good luck and do let us know if you’d like any additional support, we’ll be happy to help.