Getting a good job in the UK is as much about being prepared and knowing the best places to look and the right people to talk to, as having the key skills and qualifications. These top 10 tips will help to put you in a prime position to find the right employer and impress them once you’ve found them.
1. Be prepared
First of all, you need to create a really good CV.
Make it interesting and intriguing to ensure that the prospective employer
wants to find out more about you. When you find a job that you are interested
in applying for, write a great personal cover letter tailored to that specific
job. If you’re lucky enough to be invited for an interview, research the company
and prepare well. Ensure you have a list of questions to ask that show you have
a knowledge of the company.
2. Networking
As the old saying goes “it’s not what you know, it’s who you
know”. The important thing here is talking to people. Talk to friends and
family about jobs or opportunities that they’ve heard about. Make contact with
people you’ve met at careers fairs and use social media to link with people.
Often, managers and directors will be sympathetic if you reach out to them as
they are likely to have been in your position themselves. Asking for volunteer
work and work experience is a good way of getting yourself known.
3. Get them to come to you
By creating a good up-to-date CV and posting it online, you
are allowing potential employers to hunt you down and save you the work of
chasing them. There are some great websites that enable you to do this. Ensure
your online profiles present the right impression to potential employers as
they are likely to research you, as you would research them. It is prudent to
make sure that social media profiles are either hidden or employer-friendly and
professional, remove any embarrassing pictures!
4. Choose your employer
Pick out a company that you’d love to work for and target
them. Put your efforts into finding a company that fits with your skills and
personality. Look at the skills they require and hone your CV to meet their
requirements. Learn all about them to enable you to be knowledgeable at the interview.
5. Bounce back
There is no denying that job hunting can be tough. Most
people receive knockbacks and rejections. The important thing is to pick
yourself up and keep applying for more jobs, stay motivated and learn from your
mistakes. The best thing you can do is to ask for feedback when you get a
rejection to enable you to improve on your application or interview next time.
6. Be an early bird
If you’re very smart and keep your ear to the ground you may
be able to find out about the perfect job before it has even been advertised.
This is a great way to get ahead of the pack.
7. Online openings
There are many websites
dedicated to finding people the perfect job. However, these websites can be
advertising thousands of new jobs every day. Try using an advanced search
facility to narrow down your requirements to avoid trawling through all of the
jobs that are not relevant to you. Using Google alerts can save you a lot of
time and hassle. This is a free service that matches your criteria to new jobs
and allows you to get notifications of jobs as soon as they are posted. You can
choose to get immediate alerts or daily roundups.
8. Look Local
Local newspapers are actually a great way to find local
jobs, particularly casual or temporary work. Although it may seem old-fashioned
it is also worth checking in newsagent’s windows or libraries for adverts that
have been placed there. This can be an effective way of offering and finding
jobs in your local community.
9. Industry-specific jobs
If your skills are specialized and there is a particular
industry that you are looking to work in, why not try looking through trade
publications. Look for newsletters or trade magazines that have a smaller
circulation and jobs tailored more to your skillset. Jobs that are advertised
less widely mean that there will be fewer people in competition with you for
that job.
10. Social media
Social media is a growing and very effective tool for job
hunting. Companies are advertising jobs on Twitter and of course LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is a great way to put yourself out there and be found or to search
for a job that fits with your interests. Employers are utilizing this service
more and more to find the perfect candidate. Join the online community to make
yourself as visible as possible.
Using the tips above won’t guarantee you that dream job, but it will put you in the best position to jump on opportunities that not everyone will be aware of, making it more likely for you to succeed.