Searching for a job can create stress whether you are unemployed or just seeking a career change.
Sitting in front of your laptop or smart phone for hours on end scrolling through vacancy after vacancy and submitting application after application is unrewarding and leaves you feeling frustrated and demoralised.
we’ve all been there right??
If this sounds like an all too familiar story, it’s time to take action! Reassess your approach and create your new plan. Afterall wasn’t it Einstein who said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
All is not lost however, good news is, you can significantly increase your chances of securing an interview by making some basic changes in your job search approach to improve your chance of success.
This article will provide insight into actions that can be undertaken to increase the odds of being offered a job interview.
Create a Customised CV
Redesigning and tailoring your CV is a good place to start. Marketing your skills effectively to the potential employer is paramount to securing a job interview.
Submitting applications with a generic CV reduces your odds of being successful with approximately 70% of applications in the UK being rejected during ATS screening (applicant tracking systems) This software filters and organises applicants based on keywords that match the job advertisement. Therefore, creating a targeted CV, which is written and customised towards a specific sector and highlights relevant work experience and professional skills will enhance your application.
An engaging CV has a mix of free-writing and bullet points to highlight key skills or duties and is normally built up of several key elements. Dividing your CV into specific sections will create a logical flow and should include, Contact Information and Professional Title, Personal Statement, Skills Profile, Career Summary/Employment History, Education/Qualifications, and key Achievements.
Select a font such as Arial, or Calibri, ideally between 10-12 depending on the style you use and make section headings bold and slightly larger than the rest of the contents. The 'Career Summary/Employment History' section, written in reverse-chronological order, will ensure attention is drawn to current endeavours and using a professional template will create a more eye-catching CV.
Networking
Make connections in your industry and ‘get busy’ networking. Putting yourself out there by engaging with potential employment programmes and recruiters.
Many government funded initiatives designed to assist the unemployed back into work now exist across the UK. Employment Consultants will work with you to develop pathways to employment or source professional development opportunities If you need to upskill.
Leveraging opportunities through platforms such as LinkedIn can be a useful exercise particularly if you already have connections. Using the ‘open to work’ feature and creating your profile banner will alert those in your network that you are ‘on the hunt’ for a new position.
Reaching out with a self-marketing post is another alternative to attract attention and signify your intent.
Check out How to Announce Your Job Search on LinkedIn (resumeworded.com) for insight into effectively structuring professional LinkedIn job search posts.
Include an Effective Cover Letter When You Send a CV
A Cover letter elaborates on how your experience and skills align with the job profile, highlighting in greater detail what you can bring to the role and wider business.
The purpose of a cover letter is to provide a summary of your professional background and to market your suitability, skills, and experience to recruiters.
It is sent alongside your CV and helps to strengthen your application, drawing attention to key aspects of your CV that are relevant to the job.
Read the Job advertisement thoroughly and be sure to evidence how your skills and experiences match with those required - line by line if necessary. Even if its transferable skills you have acquired in previous roles, they all count.
Attend Job Fairs
Attending a Jobs Fair can provide an ideal opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and meet multiple employers directly, many of whom are eager to meet potential new talent like you and often offer mini-interview opportunities on the day.
A unique selling point at such events, particularly if you are unemployed is the exposure to a range of ‘live vacancies’ from employers across a variety of sectors.
It’s not all about jobs though and many training providers and colleges will market their professional and academic development opportunities here too. So, if you are unhappy with your current sector of work and wonder how to open the door into a new industry; this may offer you the chance to broaden your horizons and get to use your interests and knowledge to better effect.
Know Your Core Skills:
Highlight your strongest skills in your CV and cover letter. You can articulate your suitability to the job role once you’ve secured the interview.
Knowing your core skills will let you identify specific career fields where you can best put your strengths to use. It will also assist you in identifying any skills gaps and provide you with a platform to build your CV and cover letter from.
Evaluating what makes you stand out in the workplace and having a deeper understanding of your strengths so you can effectively sell yourself is key to securing a new job. Strengths develop over time and self-reflection is a good way to better grasp what line of work you are likely to find more rewarding and thrive in.
Completing a personality test such as Career | Specialized Tests & Tools | 16Personalities will give you an insight into yourself, which you can use to navigate your career.
In today’s fiercely competitive labour market implementing change in your current job search approach may just land you a place in the interview chair.
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