You’re ready for a new challenge and want your next career move, but where do you begin?
Hunting for a new job can be time-consuming and hard work but by following our simple steps below you can take control of your job search.
Sort your CV out
The first thing you should do when looking for a new job is to redo your CV. No matter how long ago you looked at your CV it will need updating. Make sure to include your latest experience and any key performance indicators (KPIs) you can include.
Set aside time to make your CV as effective as can be, your CV is your most powerful tool when looking for a new job so put time and effort into creating it. You can take a look at our blog here on how to write an effective property CV.
Check in on Social Media
According to a survey conducted in 2018, 70% of employers use social media to look up candidates during the hiring process – we can only imagine that number has increased as more social media tools come onto the market. On top of that in 2017, 36% of employers admitted to rejecting candidates based on their social media presence.
Making sure your social media reflects you is so important. The main tool recruiters will use is LinkedIn, this may be to double-check your experience but also to see how you interact in a professional setting. Future employers may also try to look you up on Facebook and Instagram – if you are conscious of this you can set your profiles to private or if you want to keep them public make sure there is nothing potentially offensive on your profiles. Your digital footprint is forever.
Sign up for job boards and apps
Job boards, including LinkedIn, are a really simple way to get your CV in front of the right people and also to keep up to date with the newest jobs. If you are comfortable doing so, speak to your peers and colleagues about the best job boards for your industry.
Sign up for job alerts and apply to the roles that best suit you. Make sure you read each job advert fully and that you are suitable to do the job, personalise your CV to the role and apply – as the old saying goes “quality over quantity” – don’t apply for everything, be picky in what you apply for.
Engage with a recruiter
Doing it by yourself can be really difficult and time-consuming, especially if you are working a full-time job alongside searching for a new one. Recruiters can take this pain away and do all the hard work for you. Good recruiters will take the time to get to know you and your aspirations and will seek out the best roles for you, they will take care of the entire process from contacting the employer to arranging the interviews.
Again, speak to your peers and colleagues about recruitment agencies and pick a niche recruiter based on your industry, for example, if you work in the property, conveyancing or construction industry we know a great niche recruitment agency that can help you.
On top of all this, recruiters will also have access to exclusive jobs – meaning the end employer isn’t advertising it anywhere and only the recruiter has access to it.
Target key companies
If you know of companies that you would love to work for – your “dream company” – target them specifically. Send them a tailored CV with a personal cover letter as well as an explanation of why they are your dream company. You can also connect with the hiring managers on LinkedIn and build a relationship with them so that when a suitable opportunity does arrive they know you are interested.
Get a new job!
It’s now time to go out there and get yourself a new job! As a specialist property, conveyancing and construction recruitment agency we can help you do this. We take the time to understand your wants and career aspirations and will carefully match you with the right job.
Good luck with your job search!
The Ambitious Group is a specialist property, conveyancing and construction recruitment company. If you are looking for a new job view our latest roles here, or get in touch to see how we can support you.
