Career Development & Employability. Whats New?

By Graeme Jordan (CV Writer / Interview Coach / professional Marketer)

So the new year is very much in full swing. The initial ‘warm-up’ period of settling back into things is a distant memory. It might be a good time to ask … What is new in job seeking, career development and employability? Well, to me it seems like not a lot.

• CVs remain a vital tool in recruitment among numerous employers in the private sector.
• Application forms still include that all important end question that basically says ‘Tell us everything we need to know in order to select you.’ The ability to adequately structure an answer to such an open-ended question is about as challenging as writing a CV. It requires just as much learning to get it right.
• Video interviewing and video CVs are still an effective option for those who decide to use them. In terms of candidates, the challenge of learning how to present yourself in the best way remains the same, but there are additional challenges. Don’t be tempted to overdo the creative at the expense of the basic purpose: You still have to give reasons for the employer to select you.
• Most of the time interviews are still part of the process. Employers see it as their way of judging how suitable you are in that environment (whether or not this proves to be accurate).
• In terms of niche and highly skilled and senior positions, the role of a Recruitment Consultant remains particularly important.

One good trend is that certain pointless gimmicks are slowly disappearing. Asking silly interview questions or putting candidates under pressure is becoming less common. Employer brands using these techniques are unlikely to have a good reputation. The likes of Glassdoor shed light on this kind of approach and make the approach undesirable.

The variety of media available that connects employers to employees is constantly growing. This is balanced by websites that aggregate this information and by social media platforms whereby people can learn about new opportunities. As a result, the ability to deal with employers directly is stronger.

Another area that has improved thanks to digital media is the ability to know what a job or a particular company would be like. There are even review sites for employers. However, don’t be overly influenced by a small number of loud disgruntled people if there are plenty of positive voices. As with everything – there are many different opinions out there and they can’t all be right!

So the main thing to note: Whilst the technological environment and the media are always evolving, the core fundamentals of knowing your expertise and communicating your value through whatever means remains the most important factor.

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