1 - get online and grow your network
Get yourself set up on career networking sites such as LinkedIn and start following organisatio. Social media sites start to snowball, the more you follow, the more you find. Linkedin is a great way to see companies that are hiring, make yourself known, and promote your professional side.
Top Tips:
Join discussion groups for sectors you're interested in and start building your social network to keep in the loop for the latest job offers.
Following companies that you like and commenting on their posts is also a great way to get noticed, although remember to keep your comments professional, and save the rants for Facebook.
Note that it's also bad etiquette to add anyone on LinkedIn who you don't already know, so going on a mad connection-adding spree won't work in your favour.
2 - use those around you
Your family and friends will have their own experiences in different sectors and everyone always has valuable advice to offer, so listen and learn! The connections you already have in your personal life will have their own network of personal and professional contacts so it’s likely someone will know someone else in the sector you’re seeking employment.
Sometimes it can be hard to accept help from those closest to you, not wanting to feel like you can’t succeed on your own terms but everyone knows the saying ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know’ - and as cliched as it sounds it’s so true. Staff referral is one of the most popular methods used for recruitment by employers, as companies often prefer to hire someone who their trusted employees can vouch for, so use your connections!
3 - push further than job listings
It can be easy to fall into the monotonous process of scrolling though indeed and passively applying to anything related to your sector of choice but it takes a lot more to choose a company, target your search, and really put yourself out there. This may seem like a daunting task but it doesn’t necessarily mean a whole lot more work. Choose companies that interest you and actively keep up to date with their vacancies. Whenever a company is hiring for more than one position it may be an indication that they are expanding - even if the roles aren’t exactly right for you send in your CV and make yourself known as there may be more opportunities on the horizon.
4 - try a recruitment agency
Finding work through a recruitment agency can be a good choice, particularly if you find the whole idea of selling yourself particularly tough – recruiters are paid to do that bit for you! Recruitment agencies regularly and actively search for work on your behalf, so this, of course, can lighten the burden a bit if you're finding trawling for jobs particularly tiresome, and it can bag you a job quicker than expected.
However, while there are big positives, do be aware that work sourced by recruitment agencies may not always tick all your boxes, no one can know what you’re looking for better than you!
5 - expand your search criteria (and your mind)
Thanks to continuous advancements in technology, the job market is constantly evolving at such a pace that there are heaps of jobs out there that you've probably never even heard of, and probably didn’t even exist five years ago.
For example, do you know what an UX designer is? How about a Backend Developer or a Growth Hacker? It's worth putting some research into different roles in your sector of interest, or even just the different titles used for the same role!
Choosing to go down a less traditional career path can also mean less competition, and you might find that there are more opportunities available if you expand your horizons and start looking at more niche positions.
Results days are coming up and at our training centre in the heart of Worthing, we provide employability programmes for 16-24 year-olds. On Monday 24th August we are offering pre-booked appointments to West Sussex young people looking for help to get employment or into further education. Perhaps you need maths and English, too? Our courses are accredited and will give you the qualifications you need as well as help finding work experience and job-specific skills.
Email us or message on our contact page to book an appointment or join our virtual open day on Friday 28th August, 11:30am.
