Job Seekers Are Wising Up

By Irina Nagy

How prepared are you for planning and conducting an effective job search?

Searching for a job today is different than it was a few years ago. Job seekers and career experts alike say that today’s job search requires more focus, more networking and more personal branding than ever because the recession changed the way employers recruit new employees. Conducting a job search nowadays can become a full time job for anyone and successful job seekers must have both good information and well-developed job hunting skills. However, if you work hard, identify your interests, skills, goals and form an action plan you will be able to generate some job leads and find a career that best suits you.

There are both traditional and non-traditional job search methods and it is important to note that you cannot usually rely on just one method to completely uncover all possible leads. The wise job seeker uses a variety of methods, begins an active job search six to nine months in advance of a target employment date and above all, is persistent.

Below you will find the 3 most important steps you need to take in order to conduct a successful job search.

Develop a contact and referrals network

With so few jobs actually getting it to the listings, making career networking a part of your daily job search is an imperative. Once you have targeted a career or specific position, you should begin acquainting yourself with professionals in that field or organization and focus more on career networking. Reach out to friends, family, professors, former managers from internships or jobs and anyone else who may be of help. These professionals can constitute your contact network, which could open doors that might otherwise remain closed. 

Pursue online job boards

A successful job search should also include the Internet as this intelligent engine can provide unlimited information related to job hunting and hundreds of job sites that post job listings in virtually any field. The most commonly used job search technique is to respond to advertised vacancies, both in print and electronically. You don’t have to use every job site that’s available just because it’s there. Instead, try out some of the top job boards to see which works best for you.

Use Recruitment agencies 

There are literally thousands of recruitment agencies in the UK. The larger ones have access to more jobs and the specialist agencies have a better grasp of the kind of jobs that will suit your experience and qualifications. 

Job searching is never easy and it’s even harder when the job market is difficult so don’t give up. Keep plugging away at your job search and visit our website or contact us if you are in need of career advice or interview tips.