EmPLAYability Month - Job Hunting Guide

7 job hunting tips

Upon finishing your degree, you are probably thinking about starting your career. When it comes to job hunting it can be difficult to know where to start and what methods and strategies will give you the best chance of landing a job in your preferred field. Part of the battle is actually finding jobs that are well suited to you and will meet your requirements. Here at Carrington West, we are experienced in equipping candidates with job-seeking tips and techniques to help them find the right jobs for them. One of our Lead Consultants, Luke Clifford, has put together a range of job hunting tips for students, new graduates, and well, anyone. We hope these help you in your search for employment. 

Register with an agency (choose the right one)

Making the right move has always been the key when moving roles, changing careers, or embarking on your career after university. You’ll tend to find that the majority of those organisations you’re looking to work with will have agreements in place with agencies. Registering with the right agency will unlock doors with the right organisation - do your research by taking a look at the site of the company you’re registering with to represent you. Sites like Glassdoor or Google business reviews will give you an idea of the company’s values and provide insights from the agency’s employees and other job seekers.

If the agency you’re working with has a strong reputation within the market and with their own staff then you’ll feel more comfortable and confident of them finding that right role for you.

Seriously consider freelance work

If you’ve been having a tough time finding a job, fixed-term contract, interim or temporary work can be a workable short-term solution. It can be a great way to bridge a gap on your resume or build new skills. Once you’ve made the leap, you may find that it suits your career development goals and work/life blend much better. Employers have always required a fluid and flexible workforce, so it may be worth taking on select projects from different clients and managing your own workload.

Retrain, refresh and develop

Simple enough to say but carrying out refresher courses on those tickets or qualifications that are close to expiring is a worthwhile exercise in that time between jobs. We’re living in a world where upskilling is pushed in every industry. Stay ahead of the trends by researching what upcoming changes to the sector you’re working in may require new training - again the agency you’re working with will be able to point you in the right direction with what tickets/qualifications are required.

Following industry leaders of governing bodies on sites like LinkedIn can keep you ahead of the curve when it comes to any alterations to tickets or qualifications required within your industry.

Tailor your application

Long gone are the days when we could use a single CV and cover letter for each job we apply for. Each job will have slightly different requirements and therefore your CV, cover letter and the type of questions that can be asked in your interview will vary. Many companies now use applicant tracking systems that are able to detect keywords relating to the job advert and narrow down applicants based on this. Make sure you fully understand the job description and that this is reflected.  

Don’t chase the money

Money is a key motivator to work, there’s no hiding from it or denying it. However, one thing we’ve learned over the past 2 years is that several other factors play a huge part in WHY we work for the company we work for. We’ve seen that during these hard times that encouragement, inclusion and a defined purpose all take centre stage now when choosing who it is you work for. Find an organisation whose purpose is clear and aligns with your values - here at Carrington West we look to better ourselves in every way every day and that’s something I fully agree with and follow both in work and my personal life. It made it an easy decision for me to join the company in the first place and is a huge contributing factor to my work satisfaction and career development.

Before joining an organisation ask yourself do you know the company’s purpose? 

What personal and professional development do they offer employees? Is there a positive employee culture within the business? Are employees rewarded and recognised for their work? These are all things we can find out before accepting an offer and joining an organisation - my advice would be to ask these questions before jumping into that next pay rise!

Stay positive

Job hunting can be incredibly difficult and even slightly demoralising when you have knockbacks, however, it is important to remain positive and treat every application process as a learning experience. Make sure you ask the recruitment agency you are working with or the potential employer for feedback, this will ensure that you are able to improve each time you apply for a job, meaning that you are much more likely to become employed much sooner.