Job hunting can be exhausting and stressful no matter what position you’re looking for. Having a plan together like the one below, can help ease the stress by keeping you focused on the task in hand. Treat the search as you would a 9-5 job and get a plan in place for how you can best utilise your time.
Consider Taking Online Courses to Improve Skillset
Online courses are a great way to develop new skills, brush up on existing skills, learn more about a topic and move your career in the right direction. Whether you're looking for a job in a new field or just wanting to upgrade your current skillset, taking an online course can help your CV get noticed. In addition to standing out from the crowd, a new skillset can show a potential employer you are able to motivate yourself in your free time and helps to give off the impression you are enthusiastic and will be a productive worker.
Talk to Your Network
Every employer wants workers they can trust and that would be a good fit for their workplace. It is therefore becoming more common for employers to rely on personal recommendations from employees and colleagues. The potential advantage to you, the job hunter is a better head start and less competition. Get out there and start talking to people. There's a very good chance that at least a few of these people know someone else who can give you career advice or point you to a job opening. You'll never know if you don't ask!
Update LinkedIn and other Social Media Profiles
If you haven’t already got a LinkedIn account, make sure you open one before starting your job search. Employers are increasingly using internet searches to research potential employees. Often, a person’s LinkedIn profile page is one of the top results if someone searches a person’s name online. This will therefore most likely be a recruiter’s first impression of you so making sure everything is up to date is important.
Another huge benefit of LinkedIn is you’re able to search job posts and recruiters yourself. This is a great way to research into companies you have an interest in working for.
In addition to creating/updating your LinkedIn, be sure to clean up your social media profiles. You don’t want to let an angry tweet, inappropriate share on Facebook or crazy Instagram picture hurt your reputation!
Identify Personal Values and Career Goals
Before you start applying for jobs, you should have a clear idea on what your personal values and career goals are. Understanding your personal values and being able to identify them can give you greater confidence in decision making. Applying this to a job search is very important to find the right fit for you. For example, if one of your values is family then you know a demanding job that takes over your personal life isn’t likely to be a good fit for you.
Career goals can be identified by asking yourself what it is you’re looking for in a job. This will include salary, career progression and training opportunities.
Think About References
Most roles require you to provide at least two references for potential employers to contact. It is very important your references show you in a good light and reflect your qualities and accomplishments that a new employer will be looking for. They also back up points you have written in your CV. It is always best to ask before including someone as a reference. That way, they can expect to be contacted and will be prepared to discuss your qualifications for a job.
