Are you struggling to be successful in your job search – need tips for success?
Knowing how to be successful in your job search is a skill in itself, and one which most people overlook and underprepare for. This is an investment of your time; however finding that dream role will be worth it.
Although time consuming, the job search process begins with inward self-reflection.
- Do you know your values, interests, skills and goals?
- Do you know what you want from a job, from an employer or what you can offer?
Self-assessment provides invaluable information to enable career decisions; where you can identify the match between your acknowledged values & skills to the requirements of career fields and suitable companies. This is so important to be successful in your job Search as it is the core reasoning that pulls you toward a specific role or company.
Have a read of this article to Be Successful in Your Job Search: How to Reach your Career Goals
To be successful in your job search, focus is also important. Focus is not just a mindset: it is an act of doing, an action that, when used properly, can propel your job search; making the process both more enjoyable and productive.
Focus your mind on the job search itself:
Be in the right mindset, have a ‘learners’ mindset, read everything, research networking opportunities in your chosen field, reach out to someone new on social media. Find out about potential job openings via multiple channels. BE POSITIVE.
Candidates are reacting quickly when they spot a good opportunity; but what does that mean for job seekers?
Do not wait to apply for a role. Keep your CV up to date and react immediately. The best day to respond to a job listing is the day it appears.
Tip: We would recommend signing up to job alerts and check listings regularly, so that you know when new job postings appear.
Click here to subscribe to the Recruit Island weekly Job Alerts – let’s get you the perfect Job.
Of course, your dream job search will come down to more than clever submission times or days. Your CV will not get you the job, but make sure your CV piques the interest of the recruiter/employer in order to secure an interview.
It is also noteworthy to ensure your subject line is concise and to the point. Do not use subject lines such as “My CV” or “CV for Job”; ensure you communicate the entire message (Example: Jack, 5+ years’ experience, .Net Developer for Job code 123456 – CV Attached).
A brief and concise cover letter that spells out clearly how your qualifications match the job requirements is also beneficial. Connect the dots for the recruiter, highlighting why you’re the perfect candidate for their job.
In order to put your best foot forward and be successful in your job search, we have put together the most common CV challenges and advise on how to fix them.
- CV is too long: including too much information is just as bad as not including enough information. Describing what you did in various roles can eat up a lot of space, so keep it short by using bullet points. A job from 10 years ago doesn’t need in-depth detail, leaving you more space to explain your most recent work.
- Typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors: don’t shoot yourself in the foot before the interview process even begins. To be successful in your job Search, spell check can pick up some mistakes but not everything – Ask a friend to check your spelling and grammar & check it yourself carefully before you send it.
- Gaps in your CV: Leaving unexplained gaps in your CV without explanation may arouse suspicion with a recruiter. Whether you’ve taken time out to travel or to care for a loved one; include this and put a positive spin on it. These activities can include core skills such as organisation, planning and communication.
- Lack of work experience: Recent graduate? Career change? No industry knowledge? These can all be reason for a lack of direct experience; however you need to portray your transferable skills from other areas of your experience and highlight them. If you enrol on a course or do some voluntary work in your new field, make it prominent on your CV as this will show your commitment to the role.
Tips for Graduates: The Transition from Student to Career
- Not showing your worth: You can use generic clichés in your CV such as “business growth” or “Relationship building”; however, without highlighting the results in previous roles, you are missing out on a significant opportunity to sell yourself and show how valuable you are to an organisation. Use Results Based or Quantitative Examples.
- A ‘one size fits all’ CV: if you are sending out generic CV’s for all roles, you are significantly reducing your chances of being called to interview. As you are writing or editing your CV, have the job description to hand. Without researching the needs of your target employers, you will be basing the content on what you think should be on your CV. Structure your existing CV around the specific job description; highlighting required skills of the new role.
- All your jobs have been very similar? If all your jobs included similar duties and responsibilities, it is not essential to include every single one on your CV. A brief summary of your career history will suffice with a more detailed section outlining the core (and relevant) skills and experience you’ve gained.
Job searching is hard work and there are times where you will feel discouraged. Be assertive and proactive. If you are finding it difficult and need some help, we would be delighted to help you.
At Recruit Island, we provide a range of temporary and permanent staff solutions from short term assignments to long term contractors in Ireland. We have roles in Healthcare, Homecare, Nursing, Clerical, Construction & Engineering, Warehousing / Supply Chain Management, Training, Education Support & Occupational Health. We are also broadening our reach offering roles in Admin & Finance, Banking & Dental Health.
Using our strong relationships with large multinationals and businesses across Ireland, we can help you find your dream job and answer all your questions along the way.
Article Written By:
Donna Farrell