Find A Job

When you choose or become a job seeker, most often your first question will be about how to find a job?

Many undertaking a modern job search will know that the employment market has changed, most often since the last time they were first looking for a job on average 10+ years ago. But has it really changed all that much?

How To Find A Job

In the days before the internet, the way to find a job was via friends, colleagues and newspapers. Local newspapers did local jobs and blue collar work, while national newspapers did director level and white collar jobs.

Today you have job boards and we will come on to those below. But presently, do not dismiss the newspapers, as most of the job boards are now owned by the large regional newspaper groups. Hence, newspapers become effective reprints of what available online.

Find Me A Job

Only foolish job seekers dismiss or ignore networking as a way to find a job. Once you find yourself in a situation looking for a job, be open and honest with friends and colleagues of your situation. I personally find this the most intriguing part of modern society, when people want to help their friends, but are not told when or how they could help.

If you are cautious about networking or telling friends of your situation, then think of it this way. The world of employment is a people powered business, and part of that choice in finding new employees is finding people who will fit in as much as have the required technical skills. Hence, if an existing employee knows you are looking for people, and has a friend who they get on with who has the required skills, would they make the recommendation or not? Around a third of jobs are never advertised, as they are filled internally or with people recommended by existing employees. Do not dismiss networking or telling friends, or you could miss out on almost doubling your employment opportunities.

Find A Job Online

In the modern job seeking world, we have a plethora of jobs boards. There are national, local and specialist/niche jobs boards focusing on numerous geographies, sectors and specialisms.

However, on the whole I know that job boards confuse and frustrate job seekers; but they actually make the opportunities to find a job a lot easier.

The core of the problem for job seekers is this: has one job board actually created one extra job? No, but what they have done is allowed the marketing of the same numbers of jobs easier to market for employers, and hence easier to apply for by job seekers. The result is more job applicant competition for the same number of jobs.

You may hence find it more productive to Find A Job Online via social media, including resources like LinkedIn and Twitter.

Can’t Find A Job?

I hear it more often that I should these days, but many people complain that they can’t find a job. One task you should complete before starting the real work to find a job – and job seeking is a job on its own – is a market check of the jobs you seek. Go to your favourite jobs boards, and tap in the job skills or title you seek and the geography in which you wish to search. If there are less than 50 positions available, then open the search geography radius.

If you can not find at least 50 jobs in a reasonable radius of your desired area, then you may have to adjust your sights on the type of job you seek. Don’t start to find a job until you know employers are seeking people for that type of job.

Find A New Job

The result of all this new opportunity is that it has never been easier to find a new job. However, unless you deploy a strategy and tactical approach which addresses at least the three basic lines to find a job: newspapers, networking, jobs boards – then you will have problems to find a job.

If you need help, then our Professional CV Service with Interview Guarantee will guide you successfully through to employment success.

Good Luck!

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If you want to check the suitability of your existing CV, then get a FREE CV review

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I Can’t Find A Job!

Jenna asks: I just can’t find a job! I have worked in retail since I left school at 16. I’m now 23 and have worked my way up to Assistant Manager. I know and it is commented in my appraisals that I am a very hard worker, and I can do anything Ii put my mind too. But, in all honesty, my CV looks so boring! Having been made redundant when my employer went bust, I’ve tried applying for receptionist, recruitment consultants, call centres, but i don’t get a look in! I have walked all around my local (and not so local) shopping centres applying for retail work, but still no joy. I have been out of work for 3 months now and I’m getting seriously stressed and depressed about it. My eMail inbox is absolutely full of rejection letters from jobs I have applied to online! Can you help me think in my job search, or suggest jobs I can apply for where previous experience isn’t all that important?

In answer:
There are too many job seekers just applying for any old job out there at present, hoping that “Any Job Will Do” syndrome will soon pass them by. As a recruiter, at present we are drowning in them!

You could find a job tomorrow: there are lots of zero-base/commission only sales jobs, which if you have worked in retail you would have the basic skills for: tough work!

But, what is it you REALLY want to do? Why? And who would you really want to do that for?

Get The Job

If you can define what it is that you really want to do, and ideally who for, then here’s the plan:

1. Assess your skills, desires and goals: sit down with three friends, ideally people you have worked with, and get them to comment on a sheet you have prepared on what you think your skills are. Think about putting them in a three column list of: Skills, Qualifications and Experiences. Once you have that, plsit them into two types: fixed, and flexible. For instance, a fixed skill would be working at X location, where as a flexible skill would be sales
2. Define your ideal job: what is it, who is it with, where is it located, whhat is your title? The more precise you can be, the more visual, the better
3. Make a list of target companies: once you know who your ideal employer/s are, make a list of them. Ideally, you want six at the end of this exercise, which means that you need to start with a list of around 50. The simple reasoning behind this is that one third you will find on research are not as “ideal” as you first thought – that’s fine, not a problem!
4. Research, research, research: you now need to research these companies, or may be you need more help in creating a list? To undertake your research, your local library has free access to a computer, and loads of company information. You can not undertake too much research: there is nothing worse for an employer to be approached by a candidate who asks questions which could be answer by reading the employers website or press releases!
5. Social Networking: Now you have your ideal list of six employers, you need to do some more detailled research: this is where social networking pays off. Go a business Social Networking site – LinkedIn is ideal. You can join for free, create a profile, and then find people who work at your target employers
6. Informational Interview: All of this research effort is leading up to what is termed an Informational Interview. Approach the existing employees you find on the basis of “I really want to work for your company, and before applying wanted to chat to some existing employees about how they found working there.” During these conversations – ideally on the phone, possibly in person – make sure that your research and how you work will match them; secondly, find the name of the operational manager in charge of the area/shop from one of these insiders you have now made friends with. Always remember to thank anyone who helps you, and offer to help them at any point in the future if they need similar assistance
7. Cover Letter – about them, NOT you: Cover Letter writing is simple – its about them, not you, and the reasons that you fit their needs. You need to explain why you want to work for that company, and your experience. Say that you are seeking a conversation to find out what opportunities would be available, and have some ideas about how your experience could help them reach their targets
8. If you get rejected: don’t get down! It was just that either they are not the right employer for you, or you are not the right employee for them. You have learnt more, and still have more companies to apply for

If you know what you want to do, and with whom; then if you can communicate that to the ideal employer, they will find a way to engage you. Walking around handing in CV’s is fine, but really working for whom you want to is a whole lot better – and easier to get,. as well!

Good Luck!

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If you need an interview winning solution, sign-up for our Professional CV service

If you want to check the suitability of your existing CV, then get a FREE CV review

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