We are well and truly into 2015 now and we hope your year is off to a great start. A New Year holds so much promise; you will have seen all the advertisements for the New Year, New Job… New You! These adverts will be encouraging you to make the most of the opportunities open to you, rather than settle for more of the same (whether that is a stressful, mundane or difficult work environment). And opportunities there are – the days of ‘there are no jobs out there’ are well and truly over!
To give yourself the best chance of success, you need to be prepared. We have therefore created a brief checklist of the important points to consider while you are deciding your future and embarking on your job search. It happens more often than you would think; great applicants miss out on the job of their dreams owing to a simple element of their profile being overlooked or found wanting. Just as the prospective employer has a ‘brand’ that appeals to you, that company will be wanting the same from you; you will be representing them after all. It is an easy fix though and if you should need more help with any of the following, please don’t hesitate to get in contact.
Preparation is the key to success
Check your voice mail messages
(mobile and home) – you need to present a mature, professional image if or when a prospective employer calls you.
Check your e-mail address
– does it present the same mature, professional image? Addresses such as partyanimal@… will impact on your chances of securing an interview and ultimately that new job. If you have an emotional attachment to your fun e-mail address it might be worth setting up a new one just for your job search – something simple using your name or initials is the safest option.
Check your social media profile
– this is so important! We may argue that employers performing internet searches on applicants is a step too far and an invasion of privacy… the reality is, however, it happens. Inappropriate language or behaviour, criticism of current or previous workplaces and even poor grammar have all been cited as reasons a recruitment process has stalled. Maybe check your privacy settings as your first step and then review the content and photos. Search your name regularly so you can see what the employer will see.
Preparing your CV for your job search and documentation for any pre-employment screening are subjects all of their own and we will cover these in the next newsletters.
By completing the above checks you will ensure that you are not left out of a selection process as a result of ‘hidden’ criteria. Give yourself the best chance possible!