When you are in serious need of a job the best way to approach your search is to have a routine. Just like a top athlete you need a plan, enough motivation, and consistency to achieve your goals.
Finding a new job is faster is an important skill to have for survival in this era. With high unemployment rates, many people feel discouraged and fearful of finding a new job because the market and competition are tough and most who do have jobs, end up settling for what they have already.
But you need to remember Theodore Roosevelt who said, “nothing worth having comes easy”.
To help you gain the confidence needed here are 10 super important tips to consider.
1. Learn and research
Before embarking on any journey, it is important to have a plan of achieving the goal and the best way to create a successful plan is to learn and research as much as you can before you start (sharpen the saw). When you are looking for a job, it is important to know the facts and trends within your industry of choice. Know where the jobs are, research the companies hiring the most within that field and understand what they look for in their CVs or résumé, which education, skills, and competencies are required. This will prepare you and instil confidence.
2. Understand ATS
Applicant Tracking System (ATS), the first round of CV or résumé shortlisting is mostly done by computers especially for jobs with a high application rate. This is a process where a computer program reads your CV and checks the job description submitted by the recruiter then determines if the candidate is suitable or not. To pass the ATS stage you need to make sure that your CV is in an ATS readable format and has the right keywords. To get this right it is best to consult with a CV writing company.
3. Write a professional CV
This is a critical step because you are now writing a document that represents and markets you to the professional world. A professional document that gives a complete view of who you are, what have you have achieved, including important skills and competencies that make you unique, and more attractive in the marketplace.
The key question to ask yourself here is, with hundreds and even thousands of people usually applying for the same positions, will your CV pass the ATS test, will the recruiter be extremely pleased with the professional way you have articulated yourself?
The best advice is to get professional help, someone who knows what they are doing. Consult with professional CV writers, just as you would with your car or plumbing repairs.
4. Have a list of job sites and recruitment agencies
It is important to know where to look for jobs to prevent frustrations and the best way is to have a list of companies, job sites, and recruitment agencies to work with. Create user accounts, set up reminders and job alerts, and subscribe to relevant newsletters. This will accelerate your job search efforts.
To help you get started with this here is a list of 50 job sites and recruitment agencies in South Africa: https://elite-cv.com/the-best-50-job-search-and-recruitment-sites-in-south-africa/
And on this link, you will find the top job search websites internationally: https://elite-cv.com/how-to-find-a-job-internationally/
5. Use LinkedIn
One of the best and most effective tools in your job search efforts, LinkedIn is the biggest professional job search social platform in the world. More than 90% of recruiters use this platform to search and verify candidates. So, you need a LinkedIn account, it will also help you to connect with people from the same industry as you, allowing you to send connection requests and if you are brave, you can use this platform and features to directly contact hiring managers, company owners or recruiters and ask them for help finding new job opportunities.
6. Update your references
This is usually an overlooked step by many, and this has caused most to lose out on opportunities because they either did not have relevant or valuable references, or they have not alerted and informed their references that they will be using them within their CV. To avoid this, call the people you are using as references and let them know that you are looking for new opportunities in the market and you have used them as a reference. One of the best ways to present a reference is through a written and signed letter sometimes it eliminates the need for the hiring manager to contact the reference.
7. Have a job search routine
When you are in serious need of a job the best way to approach your search is to have a routine. Just like a top athlete you need a plan, enough motivation, and consistency to achieve your goals. In your routine, include job sites you need to visit, people you need to contact, and new things you must learn.
Here is an example: 30mins to read emails, 1 hour to network on LinkedIn, 30 mins to contact recruiters, 1 hour to browser various job search websites, 45 mins to writing special cover letters for available posts, and so on. Click for a routine example.
8. Learn direct contact
One of the best ways to look for job opportunities is to directly contact people who are looking for skilled people within your area of expertise and inform them of your availability. One of the best platforms to use for this is LinkedIn because you can request to connect with the individual and once accepted you can contact the person directly with a personal message and indicating your availability and value proposition.
If correctly and professionally done, you will get most of your meetings and successes from this tactic alone.
9. Consult with experts
Yes, you can do all these things required to find a job by yourself, especially if you have the time and knowledge, however, just like you get professionals who specialise in interior designing or marketing you also find companies and individuals who are experts and specialise in CV writing, designing and LinkedIn optimisation. Because these companies work daily with CVs and helping people find jobs, they are extremely knowledgeable in preparing you for the job market and shortening the process and time to find opportunities.
Contact Elite-CV or visit the website and you will find a range of services provided for job seekers. With a more than 90% success rate, you can be sure that your next job is one step away.
10. Have a positive attitude
Having a positive outlook on the whole situation is another critical step in finding new opportunities. Your thoughts and emotions directly influence the way you feel and the actions you need to take. If you are constantly demoralised you will not stick to a routine, nor will you find the confidence to contact or consult with others.
Wake up every morning with a positive attitude knowing that this is your day. Take every loss as a learning experience and you will soon find yourself free from self-doubt and negative thinking. Prayer and meditation usually help.
