Jobs Market Returning to Normality?

With the jobs market heading back to some sort of normality, maybe now is the time to start looking for a better job  or maybe you have been affected by the pandemic and find yourself needing a job?

We have definitely seen a return to nearer normality over the last couple of months but for certain, things are more competitive that ever at the moment. A more competitive jobs market needs a job search strategy that gives you the best possible opportunity for success. This short guide is designed to help you to organise your job search and land you that interview.

Step One – Uploading Your CV to the Job Sites

The job sites (also called job boards) are really CV databases and that is the way that job seekers need to view them. When you upload your CV or complete your profile on a Job Site such as Reed, Monster, Indeed and others then you join the thousands of other CVs that are already in the site.

One way to think about these sites is as a giant search engine. Employers and recruiters search these databases looking for people (CVs) that match their requirements to fill vacant jobs.

The tech involved with job sites is very similar to that used for dating sites. In a dating site, the algorithm tries to match people based on a series of attributes such as age, income, interests, etc. A CV database or job site matches CVs with jobs using attributes such as keywords, skills, qualifications, experience and the like.

Firstly, make certain that your CV is professional, accurate and really details your achievements. Of course we can help with that but this article is about getting found and not about the CV itself.

Secondly, make certain that the keywords that you want to be found for are in your CV. Finally, make certain that you regularly update your details, profile or your CV so that recruiters who use date search filters in their searches can find you and not other people. An article that I wrote back in 2018 might just help with this and can be accessed here.

Step Two – Apply for jobs

Applying for jobs is a pretty simple task. I won’t spend a lot of time here discussing how to do it save to say that there are two general ways that people advertise the jobs. Some companies ask for you to apply through sending them a CV, sometimes a Cover Letter and sometimes ask for a statement detailing why they should talk to you.

Other organisations use an application form process such as an online portal or ask you to fill in an application form. In general, the larger or more public the organistion, the more likely they are to use application forms, ATS (Applicant Tracking Software) systems or software and the like.

Step Three – Targeting Companies or Organisations directly

It is a great idea when trying to land a job to take action that other people won’t take. Identifying the type, size and business sector of a likely employer is a great idea. Once you have targeted the company or organisation, we strongly recommend getting your CV in the hands of the most senior individual that you can find. This article will be a help and will definitely give you some ideas regarding targeting organisations directly: https://cvthatworks.co.uk/targeting-companies-directly-prospecting/

Step Four – Working with Recruiters (Recruitment Agencies)

Recruiters get paid when they place people into companies. Understand that the recruiter works for the employing company and not for you.

Recruiters have been hit hard by the pandemic. Their fee structures have come under pressure and many have reduced their commission levels simply to try and stay in business. With more people looking for jobs, recruiters have a huge choice of job seekers that they can access and are very adept at using resources such as recruiter access to CV databases to find suitably qualified candidates.

Make life easy for recruiters. Return phone calls and emails promptly. Make your CV easy to read and demonstrate not just what you can do but more imortantly what you can deliver. Make the CV clear, clean, accurate and to the point.

Most importantly, take the time to create relationships with key individuals within the recruiters that you choose to work with. The more personal the relationship, the more likely they will be to have you in their mind. Interrupt the thinking of the recruiter by demonstrating how and why they should be working with you and not other candidates.

Remember birthdays, send small gifts, send thank you notes, and just generally be a good and kind human being and it really will pay dividends.

Author: Glenn Hughes

I’m a professional CV writer who also writes website content, LinkedIn profiles, helps people with bespoke job applications and more. I’ve been writing for the internet since 2009 and have many published articles.

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