If your New Year’s resolution is to get a new job, you are not alone. Many people will start looking for a new career at this time of the year.
The start of January often has us evaluating where we’re at in our careers and where we want to be in the year ahead. And this is what makes it the best time of year to start job hunting. You’re rested after some time off work and hopefully you’re motivated to seize any great opportunities that come your way.
Here are 4 tips to help you navigate the 2020 job search:
- Updates.New Year, New CV! Go through your CV and make necessary changes. Think about all the skills you’ve learned between the last time you’ve uploaded your CV and now and how much this could add to your job application. Go on your profiles on social media (e.g. LinkedIn) and see if you need to make any changes to have a fresh start in 2020.
- Make a plan.The best way to accelerate your job search is to start with a plan. As simple as it sounds, it’s often overlooked. First, identify a clear job target. Have a think of what positions you’re looking for, what salary and write down what skills you possess which are suitable for your chosen roles.Next, create a list of 15-20 target companies that you’d want to work for who hire people for your target role. When you are building out your target list of companies, spend time evaluating your network looking for connectors.
- Network professionally.Whether you’re looking to stay in your current industry or pave a completely new path in another. professional networking is critical. These days, over 70% of offers job seekers receive are a result of networking.Networking can help you get your foot in the door at a company of your interest, gain new and valuable reference in the industry, and determine whether or not you really want to move into a specific role. Create a LinkedIn profile if you haven’t got one – it’s a great way of connecting with other professionals, managers, recruiters and companies.
- Stay focused.
Don’t give up. Job hunting usually takes a long time and a lot of persistence. Don’t be put off if you don’t get offered the job after your interview. Ask your interviewer for feedback and see if it’s possible for you to improve on the answers you’ve given or behaviour you’ve demonstrated.
You can also seek help when job hunting – our consultants are more than happy to answer any questions or perhaps direct you in the path that you haven’t thought about.
UK Statistics
- For July to Sept 2019, there was an estimated 813,000 job vacancies in the UK.
- London is the most popular place for a recruitment start-up, followed by Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.
- 27.5 days is the average length of the job interview process.
