When you first embark on a job hunt, especially when there’s so much competition out there, it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start. Here are 10 steps that all job seekers can follow to make the process more manageable. Follow these top tips and you’ll be well on your way to that perfect job.
1. Smarten up your CV
Your CV is your greatest personal marketing tool, so make sure it’s looking great. Make sure that every CV you send off is tailored to the job in mind. Cross-reference it with the job description and make sure that it demonstrates as many of the required skills and experiences as possible. Highlight the key attributes that the employer is looking for and don’t worry about including things that aren’t relevant.
Here are some more tips on how you can make your CV stand out to recruiters. Make sure that employers can find you by uploading your CV to Simply Law Jobs.
2. Be the first to know about new opportunities
While you’re uploading your CV, take the opportunity to set up some alerts relevant to your job hunt. Decide which job categories, salaries, and locations you’d like to hear about and we’ll send them straight to your inbox. This means you’ll be the first to know about new opportunities and will have a head start in perfecting your applications. Some recruiters won’t wait until the application deadline to decide on a candidate, so it’s important to be quick off the mark. Make sure you keep an eye on your inbox and react quickly to any opportunities that catch your eye.
3. Tailor your cover letter
With so much competition out there, recruiters are unlikely to be impressed by a generic cover letter that you use for each job you apply for. Your cover letter is another opportunity for you to prove that you’re the right person for the job, so don’t waste it. Be sure to keep the job description in mind while you’re writing and keep it relevant to the job and firm you’re applying for. Its purpose is to introduce your application, so make sure you don’t just copy the details on your CV. The key to writing an excellent cover letter is to remember that it is quality, not quantity that will catch a recruiter’s eye.
4. Tidy up your online presence
Many recruiters will do a quick background check before inviting you to interview and this will often start with a Google search of your name. Do the same and see what comes up. Remember to check the images too. Is everything that comes up appropriate for a potential employer to see? If not, make sure you get rid of it before you start sending out applications. Don’t let any of those wild nights out at university come back to haunt you.
5. Use social media
Go through the same process with your social media profiles. The majority of recruiters (70% according to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder) use social media as a standard part of their recruitment process. Remove anything inappropriate and consider tightening up your privacy settings.
However, don’t forget that social media can also be used as a tool to help you stand out to recruiters. Using LinkedIn is the perfect way to enhance your personal brand. Do you share any interesting industry news that you come across? Or have you been to any relevant events recently that you could post about?
Follow relevant people within the industry and start engaging with posts by firms you’d like to work for. A thoughtful comment left on a Facebook post could help your application stand out to an employer. Here are some more tips on using social media as a job seeker.
6. Get networking
If you’re not already on LinkedIn, you’re missing out on a fantastic networking opportunity. You can add a lot more detail to your profile than you would be able to include on your CV. Even better, you can get endorsements from previous colleagues. Once your profile is complete and shows off all your skills and achievements, start making connections within the industry. Get involved in any interesting discussions and share any industry-related news that you’ve been reading. Showing that you’re actively interested in the industry could give you the edge over other candidates.
7. Keep an eye on employers you’d like to work for
Make sure you don’t miss out on any opportunities from your dream employer. Take a look at the A-Z of companies who are currently recruiting and set up alerts for those you are interested in.
8. Ask a friend
Simple mistakes such as spelling or grammar errors can be enough to put a recruiter off. Tools like Grammarly are great at picking up little things that you might miss. However, don’t rely on these tools entirely. Always get a second pair of (human) eyes on your application before you hit send.
When you’ve been working on your application for a while, it can become very difficult to pick up on small errors yourself, so it’s important not to skip this step. Any constructive criticism your proofreader might have could also be really valuable for strengthening your CV.
9. Organise your time
Sometimes the job hunting process can feel overwhelming. A good way to tackle this is to dedicate a certain amount of time to it each day. This means that you can chip away at it consistently and then it won’t seem to be such a daunting task.
10. Don’t panic!
Whatever you do, don’t panic! It’s very unlikely that you’ll get the first job you apply for. Remember that persistence is key and try to learn from each piece of feedback you receive. Follow these 10 steps and it won’t be long before you find that perfect job. Good luck!
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