Unfortunately 2020 was a year of job insecurity and unplanned career changes for many. While some industries slowed to a crawl, many were busy adapting their operations to support remote working, social distancing and new hygiene rules. The impact of Covid-19 to the workplace has had a big impact on job seekers too; a 1% national increase in unemployment means there is more competition for vacancies and candidates are having to go the extra mile to stand out from the crowd. In this competitive environment, here are some tips in increasing your job seeking efficiency:
1. Build your online profile
With the majority of hiring managers and recruiters using online means to source their candidates its more important than ever to have yourself an online profile to catch the attention of hiring managers. LinkedIn is a great platform to market yourself to those within your industry, by creating a full profile with picture, career history and personal description you are able to present a professional overview of yourself which can catch more eyes before even actively applying to vacancies. Most job boards also offer the opportunity to create profiles which should be completed in order to provide a more personal touch to your job applications.
2. Target your CV for specific positions
While its unrealistic to redesign your CV for every job application you send out, you should create variations of your CV to suit the different vacancies you are applying for. Hiring Managers can sometimes have hundreds of applications to consider for a single vacancy so it is extremely likely that they will be scanning CVs looking for key information that relates to the position they are recruiting for. Highlight the information on your CV that relates most to the company, the job role or the project you are applying for.
3. Expand your network
Introductions from mutual connections are a brilliant way to connect with new people within your industry and increase your profile as a job seeker; asking former colleagues or connections for an introduction to their contacts can act as a great ice breaker and help your name stand out from the crowd. People are far more likely to respond if they are helping out a friend or colleague by doing so.