Dust off the CV. Virtual and IRL. Whether traditional paper copy or online version, I see plenty of CVs that don’t do their best to sell the individual, a lot of CVs wasn`t written by professional CV writer. That simply state facts rather than reasons to hire. A list of responsibilities rather than an explanation of what value someone can bring. Once it is updated, ask someone else to read it – preferably someone who will be totally honest with you. Ask them if they would be excited if it
landed on their desk or in their inbox. And it goes without saying (or at least it should do but often doesn’t) tailor it to the opportunity when making an application. Clear up the digital debris. Google your own name and see what comes up. Sort what doesn’t present you well. Delete anything dubious. If your Facebook profile is full of photos of you partying then sort out your privacy settings before recruiters come looking. And they will. They say that first impressions count. And today, that first impression might well be your social media profile. More social stuff. Make your social media profile work for you. When it comes to LinkedIn, complete your profile, make sure you have a good, professional headshot, ask for a few recommendations. Write a good summary of your skills and experience. LinkedIn now priorities profiles who have published content on the platform, so if you have something to say and you can write well, get a blog post or two up there if you can. Network, network, network. It’s well known that plenty of jobs don’t end up on job boards. Many get filled word of mouth, through recommendations and connections. Get yourself out there, physically and virtually. Connect on LinkedIn, follow on Twitter, attend events, seminars, breakfasts. Reconnect with your professional body (you know that magazine they send you that you never read? That). Follow up face to face introductions with a LinkedIn connection. Sitting at your desk searching job boards is just a small part of your search. Refresh. When you are in busy full time job, it is easy to let your own learning slide. If you want to rock an interview, you need to be up to speed. What is going on in your industry, your profession. Latest developments, latest updates. The good news is that this is easier than ever. Get on Twitter, read some blogs, follow some thought leaders. Let the news come to you, and consume it in your own time. But don’t read LinkedIn Pulse. It’s rubbish. As the scouts say… be prepared. Practical stuff alert. Have your referees lined up. Make sure you have a suitable interview outfit should you get a short notice call. Research companies as soon as you make an application. Be ready to go. And importantly, keep it up. Looking for a new role, the right role, isn’t easy. The media hype might have you believe that all of the recruiters and all of the companies were sat ready to push send on all of their roles at 9am yesterday. There will be traffic to the job boards. There will be new roles advertised. But it does take time to find the right one. Good luck.
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AuthorRobert Robinson is a tutor, writer, author of Book Reviews at ThePaperGuide and literature explorer. Robert was born in Austria. He moved to New York 10 years ago. Robert likes to travel, spend time with family and friends. Archives
December 2018
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