- Address it to someone specifically
- Make sure every letter is personalised to each company & position
- Include job code & reference
- Have a confident, enthusiastic tone
- Proof read
- Ask someone else to proof read it for you
- Be concise 3-4 paragraphs
- Evidence how you meet requirements of job
- Focus on your strengths
- Send with your CV/Resume
- Always thank person for their time at end of letter
- Use the correct format
- Show company you have researched them
- Put cover letter in the main body of the email
- Use statistics & figures to evidence your work/achievements
- Be honest & truthful
- Make sure yours & company details are correct
- Use same font & size as CV/Resume
- Sign it whether it electronic signature, typed or written signature
Here is a comprehensive list of things that you should do or include with regards to your cover letter. We hope that by including all of the things to do, that it will help you develop the cover letter that can help you in your job search efforts. All of the below are tried and proven things that help!
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To help assist you with your job search efforts, we have put together a list of helpful tips with regards to your online efforts. We hope that these tips help you with your job search be not only more efficient but also productive. Have a look at the following & you decide which ones could help YOU!
(1) More Than One Way To Post Your CV Online With technology having such a big impact on today’s job search, there are different methods to post a copy of your CV online. You can create your own website or blog to highlight your CV to recruiters and potential employers. If you’re unable to do that, then you can post your CV onto job boards/job websites for employers to look at. Another option is to use LinkedIn or other social media platforms to post your CV on to them. (2) Video CV As technology & social media evolves, so do the approaches job seekers take. Creating and posting an online video CV is a growing trend that is being used to grab potential employer’s attention. They are short but their intention is to sell you key information & skills and grab the attention of potential employers then when contact is made, you give them your CV. It also helps to show off your personality and creative sides which some job seekers cannot achieve just through a typed CV. (3) Focused/Narrow Searches Some job seekers try and cast as wide as net as possible to find more opportunities. While this may work for some, it doesn't for others. By casting a wide net, you can miss opportunities or maybe your efforts are not as efficient. Instead of looking for as many opportunities, try being more focused & narrow in your approach. On job websites, use the filter options to narrow what you’re looking for e.g. location & industry you wish to work in. It will help you to cut out the irrelevant jobs, saving you time. (4) Target Companies If you want to work in a certain industry, then target the companies in that industry. Send your CV/cover letter or enquiries and follow them online through social media platforms. Following them online will allow you to keep up to date with potential new opportunities. Even though this can be an effective technique, you have to be careful as there are draw backs. Firstly, if you solely use this technique then you can risk missing out on other opportunities. Secondly, do not stalk companies or keep on contacting them as it does more harm than good. It can damage your reputation. (5) Company & Industry Body Websites If you know what company you want to work for or the industry, then by checking on their websites you may find potential opportunities their first. Most will advertise their positions their first before spending more costs by using job sites & recruitment agencies. By incorporating weekly/daily checks into your job search, you may find the opportunities before others. (6) Online Recruiters Online recruitment agencies can be a good source to find jobs saving you some time. You have to find not just one but several that can help you by finding the jobs you not only want but can also do. Ok, to start off it, can take a bit of time to narrow which ones you should use by doing some research and having an initial dialogue with to see if they right for you. However, once you have found the right ones for you, you’ll have more avenues open to you looking for potential jobs and hopefully helping you achieve your goal. Recruitment agencies have a vested interest in getting the right candidate as they get paid once their candidate is employed and been working for so long for that company. (7) Job Alerts Once you have chosen which job boards/websites you are going to use, to help you not waste time looking every day for new jobs being posted then sign up for email alerts. You create which new jobs you wish to be notified of and every time those types of new jobs are posted you receive an email to inform you. (8) Networking As you know networking has become an important aspect of the modern job search. It has lots of benefits and can help you. If you know what company or industry you want to work in, then create, build & develop your network around them. It will take time to achieve this but once it is done, it can have lots of benefits e.g. be informed of upcoming opportunities/jobs or even be recommended for a post. (9) Google Yourself As most job seekers will have some type of digital finger print online, it’s important that this finger print of you paints a good picture. A lot of employers will Google candidates help you get a better picture of who they are. With a lot of us using online social media tools and apps to communicate with friends & family, a lot of what we post can end up online including inappropriate pictures and comments. As part of your job search, it is best you Google yourself to see what you find and if there is anything that might harm you then it gives you time to either delete or at least be prepared for it. It is also best that you look at your privacy settings on your social media if you don’t wish employers looking at your accounts. To have a good and successful job search, you need to have all the tools that can help. If asked now what tools could help your job search, most would list very similar ones. But what if there are more? Well there are many tools than can help anyone doing a job search and we intend to list as many as we can. We hope that knowing all the tools available to aid your job search efforts can not only help you but maybe be the thing you missing to get a job. Have a look at the list below at all the tools we suggest and if you not using some, give them a try. There will be some that don’t work for some, but that is because we are all different people and what might work for one, might not work for another. • Job Websites • Support Websites e.g. sites that offer advice & support to do with job search! • State Employment Services • YouTube • Google+ • CV/Resume Writing Services • Infographic Creator to develop an CV/Resume Infographic • Video or Web Camera to create a video CV/Resume • Email Alerts • Spotify or other music player for music to motivate or relax you • Job/Career Fairs • Widgets (small software apps for your social media or internet) • Recruitment Agencies • Mobile/Tablet Apps • Interview Preparation Websites • Blogs • Skype (Video Interviewing) • Local Support Organisations • Self-Assessment Websites • CV/Resume Builder • Database/Tracker Websites (e.g. Jibber Jobber) • Job Clubs • Mock Interview Simulators • Job Boards • Online Webinars • Email Account • Online Storage (Allowing you to access your job search materials no matter where or what computer/device you using) • Word, Spreadsheet, Database & PowerPoint Software • Own Website/Blog (Paid or free web hosting) • Gym or hobby to relax yourself and recharge As we know there is an established order of how you should conduct your job search. We develop strategies, techniques, and plans etc all to help us achieve our goal of finding employment. Even with all the tips out their available to job seekers, we can all still make mistakes. Some of the mistakes we sometimes do not know if we are doing them or just don’t notice them. With that in mind, we have put together a list of the most common things that hurt a job search.
We hope that you look at this list and share it with others. No matter how experienced you say you are, we can make a mistake. Just that the mistake you may be making could the one last thing holding you back from getting a job. • CV/Resume Mistakes • Not Knowing All Your Strengths • Not Organised • No or Lack of Motivation • Wrong or Negative Attitude • Not Having an Online Presence • Having a Bad Online Presence Through Your Social Media Profiles • Using Inappropriate, Aggressive or Unprofessional Language When Networking • Being a Selfish Networker & Just Taking • Lying About Yourself, Skills & Achievements • Only Looking Online For Jobs • Not Researching Companies Properly or At All Before Interviews • Not Preparing Properly or Poorly For an Interview • Having Poor References • Bad Mouthing Past/Current Employers in Interviews or Job Applications • Not Investing Time in Developing Materials & The Process • Bad Credit Scores • Getting In Trouble With The Law A lot of job seekers will read job adverts before they apply for the job. The job advert is supposed to let you know what the job is and what the employer requires to fill the position (i.e. skills, experiences, qualifications). It sounds very straightforward but as a lot of job seekers can testify, reading one is never straightforward due to the language or terminology used.
Below we have put together a few helpful tips to help you with job adverts. We hope that the tips can help you not only understand them better but also respond to them better to help your application. · Due to laws to prevent employers from race, age, religious & sexual discrimination, most job adverts have to refer to the skills set & experience levels i.e. Manager with two years’ experience. They are not allowed to say ‘senior experience’. Certain jobs can state though if it just for male or female applicants! · Make sure you fully understand your own skills, knowledge & experiences to help you match yourself to the requirements of the job advert. · Print out adverts & go through it with a highlighter to pick out key words & phrases. Make them appear in your CV & cover letter. · If you can match 60-80% of the job requirements from the advert, then still apply for it! · Always read the advert more than once so you fully understand what the employer is looking for! · Make sure that you understand if the job advert is for full-time, part-time, temporary etc. · Make sure you follow all instructions of the job advert when applying. · Look at the tone of the language used in the job advert. What does it tell you about the company? Do they sound friendly, professional etc. · What skills & qualifications are desirable (they would like) and what are essential (you must have). · Make sure that you understand any jargon used e.g. KPI which means key performance indicator. Here is a comprehensive list of things that you should do or include with regards to your CV. We hope that by including all of the things to do, that it will help you develop a CV that can help you in your job search. All of the below are tried and proven things that help!
· Tailor your CV for specific jobs · Use ‘key’ or ‘buzz’ words · Highlight skills & achievements · Use positive language · Explains employment gaps · Keep it to no longer than 2 sides/pages of A4 · Keep it up to date · Use bullet points to focus on selling points or key skills · Be honest · Proof read more than once · Do use many drafts till you get it right · Have a good & clear format · Use good quality paper · Include references · Use figures to back your achievements or claims · Check all your information is correct e.g. details of yourself, companies etc! · Be concise · List your employment history from current/last to first job · Keep employment history no further than 10-15 years · Leave irrelevant information · Use headings · CV information matches your LinkedIn profile · Keep all text aligned to the left · Keep font same size and style · Save it on the correct format i.e. Word document · Play to YOUR strengths · Include qualifications, training awards · Provide a link to your LinkedIn profile · Use short sentences · Provide correct dates with all information supplied. No matter what your situation is, conducting a job search can be a difficult process. Not only does it need a lot of hard work and dedication, but also takes time. This alone can scare a lot of job seekers off but what are the biggest fears?
We are going to show what the most common fears of job seekers are and in the process, hopefully help show you that you don’t need to be afraid of them. (1) Won’t Find A Job Fear number one is they worry that no matter what that they do, they won’t find a new job. Well, you need to realise that this is a thought that passes through every job seekers head, new or experienced. Jobs are out there, however competition can be tough meaning it can take longer to secure a job. It’s usually time that is the factor, some wait longer than others. Of course there is rejection but again, this is something all job seekers face no matter how experienced you are. If you have an attitude of I won’t find a job, then that attitude will reflect in your applications & interviews and it will not help you. It’s more than likely one of the reasons you not getting a job. You need to be positive that you will achieve your goal. Just got to be realistic and know that it won’t happen after one day. Some job seekers have looked for jobs for couple of years before landing one. In the end you need to be positive and be properly prepared with your job search tools, realistic goals and that it will just take TIME! (2) Finding A Job & Having Circumstances Change Fear number two is the fear of change. Change can be scary for a lot people for several reasons. When it comes to someone getting a new job, there is the fear that the changes it makes in their life will not benefit them or make things harder. For unemployed job seekers it can be over money and paying for bills they never did before meaning that costs can go up and more issues to deal with. People with families fear the change it will have on the family life e.g. time with kids, school runs etc. We all like our habits but at some point in life we all have to change and finding a job, is a good change. You gain control of your life again; you don’t have to rely on the state or friends & family no more. Some also feel the social burden lift of their shoulders due to the stereotype of unemployed people being a drain on the state etc. Getting a job should not been seen as it will cause hassle, it should be seen as a good thing. Ok, starting off the changes in your life may be difficult however, if you have planned properly then you should be prepared & if you have got supportive people to help then it will help greatly. Again we come back to the right attitude. Getting a new job should not been seen as a hassle, it should be seen as getting back on track, increased freedom etc all positive aspects! (3) Not Qualified Enough Fear number three is the fear of not being qualified enough. Some job seekers are never realistic in the types of jobs they want. Some try to get into professions that need specialised qualifications or skills that they haven’t got. For others like me, they worked in a good profession straight from school but never got the qualifications and when lost their job, & struggled to get another one due to this. When we look for a job, we have to be realistic. Meaning you have to match your skills and qualifications to the jobs you can do. If you want to do a certain type of job, then you have to get the training & qualifications. There will be professions that you can’t do. No matter how much you want it, you need to be realistic. In your job search you must go for the jobs where your skills and level qualifications allow you to. Yes it is frustrating at times, but you need to be true to yourself. The first step of a job search should be to match you to realistic jobs. Don’t be silly and apply for jobs you won’t be allowed to do, as you will keep being rejected & never get a job. Have the right attitude about yourself & what you can do. Doing this will increase your chances of getting a job. (4) Making Mistakes Fear number four is making mistakes. We all fear making mistakes at some point in our lives over various issues. However, if we all allowed our fears to hold us back then for some, we wouldn’t be living the lives we have now e.g having kids, getting married, trying new things etc. Back on topic, it is true that making mistakes in your job search can cost you opportunities but still you should not allow this to hold you back. In truth, all job seekers will make mistakes in their job search. Some mistakes will be small will others will be bigger. Mistakes however in a job search can help us. Ok, they may cost one opportunity but they help us learn. An example is, you have emailed your CV to an employer but you get feedback saying your application is not being forwarded due to spelling mistakes. What have we learnt? To check our CV before we send it to make sure there are no mistakes. This then becomes standard practice for you. We all make mistakes and every job seeker will make one but don’t worry about. Have the right attitude of not let it get you down, but learn from it and never repeat it again! A CV is an important job search tool that helps you make a good first impression on potential employers to try and get an interview. With such importance placed on this tool, every job seeker wants to have the best one possible. To help you make sure you have the best one, we have provided you with a few top tips.
(1) Tailor It For The Job Some may say that this is standard practice but you are surprised of how many don’t do this. When you are applying for a job, you need to make sure that your CV helps show how you meet & can do the job requirements. If you just send a CV in that just details what you have done in past jobs then it more than likely to be rejected. An employer wants to see how you meet what they need and looking for. Examine what the job is, the skills needed and evidence it in your CV that you meet them. (2) Sell Your Skills & Experiences As stated above, you need to show how you meet the job requirements and this is when we have to sell our skills & experiences. You have to show how your skills & experience meet with what the employer is looking for. Simply stating that you have used communication skills is not enough. Sell yourself by evidencing how you did this through a specific action. To sell yourself, you need to show through evidence how you've used your skills and experiences in given situations. By doing this, the employer can get a better understanding of not only you but how you meet with what they are looking for! (3) Make It Look Good Impressions count in a job search and as your CV will more than likely be the first impression you make, you need to make sure that it looks good. Not only just the content have to be good, but the appearance (format & layout) too. That doesn't mean add fancy logos, pictures, boarders or fancy colours to it. Have a good clear but professional appearance. Use the right font and size, use headings, bullet points (but not too many) and don’t centre anything. (4) Keep It Concise A lot of individuals find this a difficult part when developing a CV. When we try to sell ourselves, we can use too much information. This is not appealing to an employer as they don’t want to read your life story. It’s important that you stick to the point and only give the information that is required. Don’t fill your CV full of irrelevant skills, personal information & long explanations of how you meet the requirements. (5) Tell The Truth Some people feel that either lying about their skills & achievements or even enhancing what they can do is fine as it helping them to achieve their goal. However that is not only wrong, unprofessional but it can also land you in trouble with the law too. Yes you want to stand out and get a job but lying is not the way to do it. Lies get caught out in the application process and if you manage to get the job then you will be found out once you can’t do the job. Once the lies are discovered it does you more harm than good. DON’T LIE! Be honest over what you can do and offer. Don’t be silly and not only harm your reputation but also ruin potential future job opportunities. (6) No Errors This sounds so simple but you will be surprised at how many times individuals get rejected for a job due to this. Most times it is because individuals do not recheck their CV’s especially when made changes or do not proof read it. It’s important that you make proof reading of your CV standard practice. Don’t let a small mistake cost you opportunities. (7) Keep It Up To Date Keeping your CV up to date is vital work. We are always developing new skills, adding training and qualifications. It doesn't stop there; some of us also do voluntary work/work experience. These things can help us and even increase your chances of making a good impression. Even updating your details is vital when they change e.g. contact & address. Get use to updating it regularly! Here is a comprehensive list of things that you should not do or include with regards to your CV. We hope that by including all of the things not to do, that it will help you avoid making mistakes with your CV. All of the below have been done or are being done in CV's!
During your job search efforts, it's important that you know how to research companies. You need to make sure that you are getting all the right information to help you and your efforts. Here are some tips for what information you need to look for.
Companies Mission & Values/Ethos This will help you understand why the company does it work and how it goes about it! Not knowing this will go against you in an interview. The Clients, Products & Services Make sure you know what the company offers, what it sells or offers to its's clients and the type of clients that use the company. This is a must know! Management Structure Have a good understanding of how the company is run and who are the key people for running of the company. Recent Achievements & News Make sure you're up to date with all the relevant news about the specific company especially for interviews. Upcoming Projects Knowing if a company has potential new projects and the impact/opportunities that they can help in your interview. Company's Reputation Knowing the companies reputation can help you decide if you wish to work that company. How Long Company Been In Business For Part of the interview research preparations, knowing if the company is a new business or an established one. Sometimes individuals can be nervous for working for new businesses. Research Employees Knowing the type of employees that are in the company can help you know if that it a company you wish to work for and could potentially fit in with the other employees. Research Interviewer If you know who in the company who will be interviewing you, research who they are to help you get an understanding of them before the interview. One method of interviewing that has become popular is video interviewing. A lot of jobseekers have little or no experience of this type of interview. You still have to prepare for one like you would an face to face interview but there are other preparations that you need to do for this type of interview.
Some jobseekers can be caught out by things that can be easily dealt with beforehand, To help you be fully prepared for a video interview, here are some helpful tips to help you be more ready. All of these tips are to be done on the day of the video interview at home. Internet Connection As with all technology it can sometimes let us down without warning. It is important that you check that your internet connection is working fully. You should test this a few times before especially 10-15 minutes before your interview starts. Webcam A video interview is nothing if your webcam is not working or pointing at you. Make sure that your camera is fully operational and is pointing at you in the right direction. Also make sure that your image is clear and is not upside. Microphone You have tested your webcam, now it is time to test your microphone. No point having a video interview if they cant hear you. Again, like you webcam make sure you test it more than once. Headphones On some video call apps or devices, the sound from the speakers can be a bit distressing due to echoes or buzzing sounds. Using headphones is a good method to avoid these plus you can hear the interviewer better. Again, make sure your headphones work and adjust to the right volume. House Location Where in the house you conduct your video interview is important. You want it in a room where you will not be disturbed by kids, friends etc. Also, you will need a room where you can sit comfortable and look professional e.g a proper desk & not the kitchen table! Background Another thing you should be aware of, is the background of the room you use. Having your bed, kitchen etc is not an ideal background. Make sure you have a good wall behind and away from light e.g. windows as it can hinder the images. Select Device So which device will you use for your video interview. Are you going to use your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop PC! Using handheld devices are not ideal due to your hands can start shaking. Pick the device you can sit at. If you not got a laptop or PC then see if you can borrow one for your interview. Social Media Make sure all your social media is turned off from all your devices. An interviewer will not be impressed if all they can hear is beeping from all your apps. Especially turn them off the device you are using to conduct your video interview. Sometimes that can interrupt your connections. Full Charge If using a laptop device, either make sure it is fully charged if you can't have access to a power sockets. The last thing you need is for your battery to die and cut off your interview. This has happened to other jobseekers. Trial Runs We have talked about testing your equipment before the interview but if you are new to video interviewing, then get some practice in. Get use to talking via webcam to friends and family. It can help you develop the right posture, develop your confidence and get use to looking at the screen and not the camera. Here are some helpful telephone interview tips to help you. All of these tips are about making sure you are ready on the day. You should do your usual interview preparation as you would for a face to face interview.
Mobile Phone If you are using your mobile for your phone interview there are a few things you should be ready for. Make sure it has a full charge on it. Some telephone interviews can last longer than 30 minutes. The last thing you want is for your phone to die during the interview. It can appear to the interviewer you were not prepared. Also make sure that you turn off your call waiting as you do not want that beeping away during your interview and make sure that you voicemail sounds professional just in case your interviewer gets put through to it. Selection Of Room Make sure you select a room in your house that is quiet for your interview. Picking a room with pets, TV, radio and screaming kids is not ideal and doesn't set the best impression. You want a room you can conduct your interview in peace. What You Need With You During your interview is important to have the following items with you to help you in your interview. First thing is a copy of your CV, application/cover letter with you so you can refer to it if you are asked questions over any of these areas. Secondly, you will need the notes you have made ready at your finger tips. These are any questions that you wish to ask plus your achievements and skills evidenced to help you quickly refer to them when answering questions. Third thing needed is a notepad and pen to help you make notes. These items can help you make notes to help answer or ask questions during the interview. Fourth item is a bottle or glass of water just incase you need it to keep yourself hydrated and stop your throat from drying up. The last item you need with you is your calendar or diary. You may be asked to appear for a face to face interview or a second interview, so you will need them to make sure you are free and picking the best time for you. Practice Practice the tone of your voice on the voice and even how you answer the phone. Remember, as with any type of interview........IMPRESSIONS COUNT. Don't answer the phone like you may do to friends or family. Don't answer the phone with 'Yo' or 'What's up'. Yes they have been used by others. Try 'Hello, your name speaking' or even 'Good Morning, your name Speaking'. Make sure it professional, warm and friendly. Interviews are the final stage of your job search efforts. All the hard work and time has paid off. Now all you got to do is make sure your ready for the interview. Preparation is key if you want to do well in an interview. Despite that, some job seekers will not either invest the time, effort or even prepare right.
Below we can put to together a few tips to help you prepare for an interview. All the tips provided are standard things everyone should be doing to prepare well for an interview. REMEMBER, preparing well will help you in your interview! Research Company & Job Role Once you have confirmed your attendance at interview, first thing is to start your homework and do some research. You should research the company you have interview for and the job role. An interviewer will expect you to know about the company e.g. values, ethos, projects etc and the job your applying for. You will be tested over these aspects during your interview. Research Type of Interview & Interviewer There are different types of interviews that you can face so it is important you research and understand the type you will be facing. Is it a video, phone, one to one, panel, group etc. Knowing what you will face will help you be prepared and be more confident. If you also know who is going to interview you, then research who they are & what they do in more detail. It will help you know a bit about them helping you feel more at eased. Questions & Answers As you know in an interview, you will be asked questions to assess if you are the right person for the job. It is important that you practice answers for potential questions you will be asked not only based on the job role but also your skills & experiences. You also need to draw up a list of questions to ask in your interview to help show the interviewer how interested & how much you want the job. Practice Journey It is important that on the day of the interview that you don't get lost or are late. To help avoid this, you should do a practice run to your interview at the same time you would on the day. This also helps you be aware of potential delays like traffic, road works etc meaning you leave a bit earlier to avoid it. Hint, If you're too early due to other factors, go for a coffee to kill so time. Outfit & Appearance Impressions count in interviews. Sometimes the first impression you give can either make or break your interview even before your bum has touched the seat. Make sure that you have the right attire. You need to dress to impress but also to fit in with the company image. Your personal appearance also needs to be right so make sure you are good to go. Get hair cut, shave, right make up, no or very limited jewellery, right amount of body spray etc. Interview Kit Ready You need to have everything you need for the interview ready to take with you. You'll need copies of your CV, your presentation if you have to do one, certificates, I.D, evidence of your skills & achievements, notepad & pen and anything else e.g umbrella, coat etc depending on weather. Even the most experienced job seeker is bound to make a mistake here and there, but in a highly competitive market, a small mistake could cost you the job of your dreams. Below are all the typical job search mistakes that happen to help you avoid them.
If you make a mistake in your job search (which will happen at some point), don't be too hard on yourself. The important thing is to learn from any mistakes made!
How you conduct yourself during your job search can either have a positive or negative impact on your efforts. Which impact is determined by you and your actions. Like an interview, the job search has it's own etiquette to which we should follow.
As in an interview, we are expected to conduct ourselves in a certain manner. This also applies to the job search. To help you, we have put together a list of job search etiquette tips below:
There are so many jobseekers around at the moment that it can pay to work on a strategy that will make you look special in the eyes of an employer.
Do you dare to be different? Well if not, now’s the time to start, because there’s so much competition in the job market right now you need to really stand out to stand a chance of landing your dream role. Here are a few tips to help you stand out in your job search Personality It is important that you not only show potential employers how your skills & experience suit the role advertised but also try and show them your personality. Employers don't just hire people solely on skills/experiences but they need to make sure that the personally will fit in with the team. Be Creative & Different What you have got to realise in your job search is that every other jobseeker will be using the same traditional methods as you. Another method to stand out is to be creative & different is by developing a video CV, an infographic CV, a blog or website or even an e-portfolio. Think of what you can do different to stand out. Being Determined Throughout your job search, try and show what a determined individual you are. Employers are impressed with individuals that can evidence that they are determined. This is because determined workers get the tasks done and don't quit even when things get difficult. Show that you're determined to reach your goal no matter how long or difficult it can be. Willing To Help Due to the competition there is for jobs, a lot of jobseekers are only looking out for themselves. They can be very selfish and that can be unappealing to employers. Recruiters, influential individuals and even employers are impressed by jobseekers that are willing to help others. This can be done by passing on tips or opportunities. If you can help someone during your job search then do it. It will help you build up your reputation & can get you noticed even leading to new opportunities. Develop A Reputation Using social media, is important to develop your reputation not only amongst potential employers but also leading industry professionals. By developing your reputation, you slowly become aware to leading people who could either point you to opportunities or give you an opportunity. Be aware that the way you behave, interact, and act can either help or hinder your reputation. Always try and develop your reputation throughout all your actions. Socialise You have to get yourself noticed and to do that you have to socialise either online or in person. Don't be afraid to interact with others. Through these interactions you may become aware of opportunities of help. Go to job/career fairs, job hunt events/clubs and interact online on blogs or discussion forums. Remember that all this socialising can also help you develop your reputation too. Be Truthful Due to the competition being tough and difficult during a job search, some will of cause try and enhance their prospectives by telling a few small white lies. Unfortunately, no matter how small the lie is, during your job search, once it is found out which they usually are, not only your reputation damaged for the worse, so are future opportunities. Stand out by being truthful not only about yourself but your skills, experience and your history. Twitter can be an excellent resource for your job search, introducing you to new people, organisations, ideas, and of course, jobs. Twitter also provides you with a valuable tool, if used correctly, of course - for building your online reputation and bringing you to the attention of employers and recruiters.
To help assist you using Twitter in your job search, we have put together a list of helpful tips for you. Use a professional photo as your profile picture Make sure that you use a good professional photo. Using a holiday photo for your profile will not set the right impression. Use your bio to say a bit about you Tell users a bit about yourself as it help you especially when your networking. Provide an link to your online CV or LinkedIn profile Twitter allows you to have a link to other things such as a website etc. If you have an online CV, LinkedIn profile or even your own website, post the link so if employers make contact they can look at it. Be patient Using Twitter in your job search takes time so you have to patient. There are no short cuts when networking and developing your reputation. Find helpful hashtags e.g. #jobsearch Hashtags are used in tweets to help specify a topic or subject. They can help you find the tweets you want easier. If you are looking for helpful job search hashtags, then click this link 'Helpful Twitter Hashtags'. Know who or what organisations to follow An important part of using Twitter is knowing who or what companies to follow. It is helpful to follow leading job search professionals, companies you want to target and helpful website. Check out this link if you wish to know some helpful people to follow on Twitter 'Who To Follow'. Make contact with other Twitter users To get the full benefit of using Twitter you need to interact with other Twitter users. Don't be afraid to reply to tweets about various topics or comment on someone's article. It is a good method to get to know someone and start developing your network. Develop your reputation To help you develop a network of helpful contacts, it's important you develop your reputation on Twitter. You do this by getting involved in discussions & getting to know people. Over time other users and even companies will get to know you and you never know what opportunities may arise. Offer help If you can help someone on Twitter then help them. Not only is the right thing to do but it will also help improve your reputation on Twitter. If you help someone in your network or even a leading professional, it will only help you in the long run. Networking Twitter is a good tool to not only get into contact with new potential network contacts but also maintain contact with the network you have already developed. Keep your network up to date with what's going on with you. Always be professional When using Twitter, it is very important to always be professional on it. There is no room for you airing your personal problems on there or being aggressive to other Twitter users. It will damage your reputation and can scare people & companies away from you. Retweet helpful & interesting tweets One way to help develop your reputation and network is to share tweets from other Twitter users. It shows that you are willing to share material and help others. It is also a good way to get noticed by new potential contacts. Thank people When you get a new Twitter follow, make sure you always thank them for it. It shows that you are considerate and kind which will help your reputation & network. Networking is something many of us fear, but it's invaluable for making contacts and creating opportunities in the world of work. It can be daunting for some but we have put together some helpful tips to aid with your networking efforts!
Start With People You Know When building your network up, it is always best to start with people you know. These will be family, friends, former colleagues and even former employers. They can help you expand and maybe introduce to new contacts who could help you. Target Companies or Leading Professionals When you going to start your networking, it is always a good idea to try and network with companies you wish to work for or important professionals who could help aid your job search efforts. You can do this through various means e.g. face to face, social media, emails or phone. Be Yourself When networking, people want to see the real you not an act you put on. Personality counts when networking as it can help you not only get to know someone but help build and develop relationships. Being yourself pays off better. Make Good First Impression As in interviews, first impressions count when networking. People and companies will make a quick impression based on first interactions. Bad impressions can hurt not only your networking efforts but also your reputation. Let Your Network Know What You Want It no good developing a network to help you if you don't tell them what you want. You need to have pitch about yourself for when you introduce yourself so new potential contacts know what you are about e.g. job seeker. Follow Up Whenever you make new contacts in your network group, it is important to follow up that initial contact through which ever method was agreed on. Not following up can cost you a potential new contact that could help you. Keep In Touch To develop and maintain a good network to help you, it's important to keep in contact in them. Keep them informed of what is happening to you especially any changes. If they are not aware of what is going on with you how are they suppose to help. Use Social Media Social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ etc are all good tools to help you not only make new contacts but to keep in contact with them. If you're not using any of the social media apps then it could hurt your networking efforts. Face to Face Don't just do all your networking via social media, emails and phone calls. Get out and meet people face to face. Sometimes meeting people in contact can be more beneficial. Attending job fairs too is a good method to meet new potential contacts face to face. Help Others Don't be a selfish networker as it will only damage not your network but also your reputation. If you can help someone in your network then do it. By helping you showing that your kind and generous and it will enhance your reputation which in turn will help you develop your network. Your covering letter is an important job search tool, a key part of your application to a prospective employer. Many job seekers fail even to write one and only submit their CV or application form. Develop a strong covering letter and your application could really stand out from the crowd. A great covering letter should demonstrate your understanding of the role, the company how your skills and abilities match the job perfectly.
To help you, we have put together a few helpful tips that can help you develop a good covering letter. Never Rewrite Your CV Don't just copy your CV into the the covering letter. The purpose of the cover letter is to show an employer how you meet the job requirements through your skills, experiences & achievements. Select The Right Type Of Cover Letter There are 5 different types of covering letters from an application cover letter, cover letter of interest to a referral cover letter. Picking the wrong type could cost you an interview. If you need help understanding what type of cover letter to use then check out our helpful guide by clicking the link 'Types Of Cover Letters'. 3/4 Paragraphs Long A covering letter should only consist of 3/4 paragraphs long. It needs to be straight to point, specific and definitely no waffling. Your cover letter needs to show the employer not only how you meet job requirements but also how would be a good addition and how much you want the job. If you wish to see a full break down of the structure of a cover letter then click this link 'Cover Letter Section'. Provide Evidence One paragraph in your cover letter needs to be used to evidence your skills & achievements. An employer will not interview or even hire anyone who can't evidence that their skills or even how they meet job requirements. Make sure you EVIDENCE! Don't Mention Weaknesses The point of the cover letter is to sell yourself to an employer. You need to show them that you're the one for the job. However, some job seekers think that by apologising for weaknesses in a cover letter will help but it doesn't. An employer doesn't want to see you apologising. Yes we all have weaknesses but save them for the interview process. FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS! Proof Reading Very basic tip but you will be surprised how many job seekers don't follow this rule. Whether it is because they are rushing their covering letter, lazy or too arrogant to think they have made no mistakes. Always check for any errors at least twice and have someone else check for you. Spotting a mistake before you send it helps improves your chances. The ability to get and stay motivated during a job search is one of the most critical skills for anyone looking for jobs. This is more true today, when it can take considerably more time and energy to find jobs than it did a decade ago. Keeping your focus and maintaining a positive attitude is crucial to landing a new opportunity. So how can you keep up this motivation during your search? We have put together a selection of helpful tips aimed at helping you to stay motivated.
(1) Set The Right Environment If you're doing your job search in a dark depressing room, then chances are this is will have a negative impact on you and your efforts. It is vital that you pick an area that will help boost your moral and efforts. Pick an environment that is light and warm, where you can work well and not be disturbed. Have an work area that is practical, functional and also that can cope with the demands of your efforts e.g. computer, phone, desk etc. Important note is don't use your bedroom. The bedroom is a place to rest and sleep and if you associate it with your job search it may no longer be a place to relax and rest. (2) Right Attitude Being positive and believing in yourself are important aspects of your job search. Having the right attitude will benefit your efforts. If you think about it in a negative way such as 'There is a lot people looking for work so why bother' it will only make your job search feel like a task that you hate which will not produce any good results. Tackle it with the right attitude and your job search will be not only more efficient but more productive too. (3) Realistic Goals One thing that can hinder individuals doing a job search is not setting realistic goals. Of course everyone is going to want a job but sometimes they don't set realistic goals of the type of job they want. Applying for jobs that you've not qualified for or don't have the skills for will lead to lots of rejections which will make me feel down and dejected. BE REALISTIC! Go for jobs that you CAN do. Also, set yourself daily, weekly and monthly goals as it will help show you making progress which will keep you motivated and feeling positive. (4) Prepare & Plan Give your job search structure and plan out your steps will help you stay focused and driven. Job hunters who don't plan or prepare tend to not to be as focused and lose their momentum which will have negative impact on their efforts. (5) Supportive Network Having a supportive people or groups can help you stay motivated in a few ways. Firstly, when you have difficult days having someone to talk to will help you shed your fears & frustrations plus help keep your spirits up. Secondly, have people who you can ask for help with your job search or be willing to help. Both of these will stop you feeling isolated alone which would have a huge negative impact on your job search. Surround yourself with people who will help & support you to keep you positive and going! (6) Take Time Off Even when your job searching it is important to have time away from it. Taking a day off job searching can be a good thing. We all need time away from things as it helps us relax, recharge and get refocused. Do something fun with the time off or spend it with family and loved ones. A day off can do wonders for you especially when you feel tired or you feel like banging your head against a wall. Schedule days off to keep you happy and positive! (7) Be Healthy Eating a healthy diet and doing exercise can help you so much in your job search. Exercise can help you get rid of frustration and increase endorphins helping to make you feel good and positive about yourself. Eating right can boost not only your energy levels but also your mood too. Both will help you stay motivated even on bad days. (8) Achieve A Goal You Always Wanted To Do As we know, a job search can take a while before you achieve your goal of getting a job. At times you will feel like you are not getting anywhere. Why not set yourself a personal goal of achieving something to help feel that your time is not wasted. It could be something like take part in a marathon, walk up a mountain, join a team sport etc. Achieving this personal goal will help you realise you can achieve your goals which you will transfer into your job search efforts helping you to stay motivated. Most job candidates know what items to bring to an interview such as, at least two copies of your CV, evidence of work/achievements, interview contact details etc. However, there are some things it’s best to leave at home when you attend that all-important meeting? Here are things not to take that other have actually done.
Newspapers/Magazines You do have to travel to interview or wait to be called in, but going into an interview with a newspaper or magazine can be seen as clutter. Don't take anything into the interview that you don't need. No Large Bags, Briefcases or Purses Try to take only a small bag with you with what you need. Anything bigger and you end up with clutter in it which can look not only bad but like you are not organised. No Friends Ok you may need moral support but taking a friend with you doesn't look good. The interview is all about YOU, not you and your friend. If a friend takes you to an interview, make sure they either stay in the car or nearest coffee shop. No Parents There have been a lot of bad experiences with parents attending interviews. They can be either over protective or a bit out spoken. Either way, it doesn't look good and will count against you. Leave your parents at home. No Pets Yes this has happened. I have seen stories of people taking their dogs and cats and guess what........it never ended well. Please leave your pets at home. Interviews are about YOU and you alone. No Shopping Going into the interview with some shopping you have just picked up doesn't give the best impression of you. If you need to do some shopping, leave it till AFTER your interview. Yes this happens and employers do not like it. No Food Yes we all need something to eat before our interview but picking you a Subway, MacDonalds or even KFC and taking it into your interview again doesn't give the best impression. Some employers will think you are taking your interview serious. If you need to eat, do it before you leave for your interview. Lots Of Jewellery Some people think the more jewellery they were, the better they look. WRONG!!!!!! Employers hate it when a candidate turns up with lots of jewellery. Keep jewellery to a minimum. When conducting or planning a job search, it's important that you have ways of avoiding stress. A job search is not always straightforward or easy. There is uncertainty, frustration plus your motivation and moral can be tested on more than one occasion.
To help you, we have put together some helpful methods of avoiding stress in your job search. They may not be for everyone but we have tried to have a wide range. Maybe one or two of them is all you need? It is up to you how many methods you use, but make sure they are ones that can help. (1) Avoid Isolation Don't lock yourself away in a room to do a job search or try and do it alone. Yes some of your job search will have to be done online but not all of it. Get out and network with people face to face or attend job fairs etc. It is important that you socialise and interact with others. You could also try a bit of volunteering, take a course or even join a group e.g. job search group. Just don't keep yourself alone, mingle and interact. (2) Make Financial Plan Worrying about money during a job search can be a draining experience that takes your energy. Try and make plans over money with either someone experienced or with loved ones so you're not having to keep worrying of that aspect. Having a plan will help you to focus your mind and energy onto your job search. (3) Track Progress & Make Plans One thing that can really frustrate someone doing a job search is not being able to see any progress. This is easily dealt with by planing out daily, weekly & monthly goals and tracking how you're doing reaching those goals. By making goals & tracking your efforts, you can see the progress you are making which won't leave you feeling frustrated. (4) TLC It is very important that you don't forget to look after yourself. Make sure you rest properly, have some fun with friends & family, eat healthy, exercise, meditate and have that quality time with family. All of these things help us to recharge our body & minds which will benefit your job search. (5) Support Network Having a good support group around you is always good. People you can talk to over issues, problems and experiences. Have people to talk to stops your frustrations from being bottled up. Not sharing things on your mind will not help your job search efforts as you'll tend to be more unfocused and angry. Develop supportive groups both at home and in your job search network. You can discuss job search issues with that support group and your personal thoughts with your home group. (6) Reward Yourself Ok it may sound a bit childish saying reward yourself but by doing so when you achieve goals or something good, is reinforcing that positive outcome and helping boosting your confidence. It is up to you how you reward yourself but find something that will help you make you feel even more happier and good. (7) Accept Things We can not control everything in a job search. There are certain things we can't control e.g. job markets, companies not expanding, people's views about you. It greatly helps that you just accept things that happen. Ok you didn't get an interview but so didn't loads of other people, you just have to accept that and move onto the next one. In an ideal world we could control every aspects of our lives but that doesn't happen. Next best thing is to accept things that happen in your job search and move forward. This is not easy for some people but try it. Having doubts & regrets do not help you in your job search. Undertaking a job search can be difficult and trying at times. The anxiety of looking and trying to get a job or even the uncertainty of what approach to use in their efforts. If you have been doing a job search for a long period, you can grow frustrated and discouraged.
There are warning signs to let you and others close to you know if you are suffering from stress. It is important to deal with stress in your job search. Left unchecked, your efforts will not produce the results you want and due to the affects of stress, your efforts could even make your job search not only harder but produce bad or damaging results (e.g. damage your network or reputation). Stress can easily be stopped and there are tips on other posts in our blog section to deal with stress. For now, we just want to make you aware of the signs. It is important you & anyone close to you knows the signs so you can quickly deal with it & not let it ruin your job search & aspects of your life. NEVER be ashamed to admit that you are stressed. There is nothing to be ashamed about and lots of people in all walks of life can get stressed. Here are the warning signs you should look out for:-
There are other things that can have a negative impact on your job search besides not having the right plan or job search tools. To help you understand what these things are, below is a list of the most common ones with a brief explanation of how it can hurt your job search.
(1) Unemployed Long periods of unemployment with no signs that you have not done anything can either put potential employers off or scare them away. Yes it can take time to find another job but that doesn't mean you can not do other things. Go on a course or do some volunteering. Show employers that you have done something with that time and continued to develop yourself. (2) No Training Sometimes the fact you have done no training even in previous jobs can put employers off. It can appear to them that you have no interest in self development or bettering yourself. Training helps to keep our skills fresh. If you have done training then evidence it especially if relates to jobs you applying for. If you got the time, why not do a training course to refresh skills e.g. IT skills. (3) Lack Of Or No Qualifications Certain jobs will be looking for people with qualifications in certain subjects or areas and at different levels. Sometimes it can the qualifications that decide who's got the job. One thing employers stay away from is people who don't have any qualifications or lack the ones they are looking for. Make sure you have got the qualifications you need and if not, see if you can get them. (4) Bad Credit History Again certain jobs will look at your credit history and for those people in struggling or in bad debt, then employers will not hire you despite your experiences and qualifications. We all get into debt and can take time to sort out our finances. Just be warned that some jobs handling money, you can be disqualified for bad credit score. (5) Criminal Records If you have a criminal record including a caution, this can disqualify you from a job. It depends on the job and the offence committed. There is no point lying about your criminal record as an employer will discover it. Look at the jobs you are applying for discover what offences disqualify you. Just remember, when you out to be careful as an stupid act can ruin getting a job. (6) Social Media Posts With a lot of people and companies having access to internet, we share and discuss a lot of it online. During your job search, you will probably network with professionals online. Just be careful about what you post on your social media apps especially if you give these professionals access to them. Posting pictures of yourself online drunk or stupid videos are more than likely to scare employers away. Even silly comments could damage your reputation and put employers off you. If you are going to use social media to network and help in your job search, then watch what you post. (7) Tattoos We are in a social age were the number of people wanting tattoos have increased. I have a few tattoos myself but some employers still do not like them or find them unprofessional. If you get a tattoo, think about what type of job you are looking for and also the place on your body you are getting it. There are a lot of areas we cover with clothes to hide our tattoos but if you get them in places that are exposed, then be prepared for some employers to count that against you. Some job seekers/hunters put so much pressure on themselves to nail their interview, they will tell lies to help enhance their chances. No matter how desperate you might be to a get a new job, telling lies during your interview won’t get you anywhere.
During the interview, employers will always be examining what you say to assess how truthful you are and after the interview, will double check the information through various sources e.g. references. Your lies will be discovered eventually and besides hurting your reputation, it could have serious consequences. Here is a list of typical porkies that candidates commonly tell during their job interviews. Take a look through them and make sure you don’t make the same mistake and do yourself more harm than good!
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December 2015
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