Jobseeking - how to get the job you want

Have a plan

It is said that looking for a new job is a job in itself and your job hunting success is in direct proportion to your job-hunting effort. But the recruitment landscape has changed beyond all recognition in recent years and HR job seekers need to become more savvy and learn the new rules of the game...fast.

The old adage fail to plan, plan to fail is as true today as it has ever been. Before you embark on your job hunting journey, determine the job you want and the type of employer you would like to work for and set your course accordingly. After all, if you dont know your destination, how can you map out a route?

Tap into the hidden job market

It is widely accepted that some 70-80% of all jobs are never advertised and if all you are doing is waiting to respond to job advertisements, you wont get very far. Ask friends, former colleagues or fellow delegates who may have attended the same training course as you if they are aware of any vacancies where they work and could introduce you to the lead recruiter a process greatly facilitated by social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook.

Job boards and recruiters

There are a number of excellent job boards out there youre on one right now. Upload your CV to the ones that advertise the type of vacancies you are looking for. But dont blindly copy and paste your CV on every job board without first considering that your current employer may also be using the same websites to search for new candidates. Also talk to recruitment consultants who know the market, can offer valuable advice and match you with some great positions.

Become social media savvy

Being in the business of HR and recruitment you already know the increasingly influential role that social media is playing in the job seeking process. Identify the key companies you would like to work for and use a combination of search engines and social networking sites such as LinkedIn or Twitter to find the key employees who work there and connect with them.

Social media has broken down barriers, to a point where you can message someone you arent friends with and dont have contact information for, without appearing intrusive. And providing you have done your homework on the company and your new contact, you can tailor a message outlining your position and interest.

Avoid the scattergun approach

As HR professionals you will invariably have received countless numbers of applications from candidates who were either unsuitable for the advertised position or their CV was simply was so generic it could be applied to any number of roles. Find out everything you can about the organisation from the internet, previous job adverts, networking or a contact within your target organisation that can give you an insight into what their employer looks for in a candidate, and then tailor your application accordingly.

Avoid typos

Your CV is designed to do just one thing: get you an interview. Yet nearly half of all CVs contain grammatical and spelling errors, according to the REC. Check and re-check the spelling in your CV to make sure yours doesnt end up in the paper shredder before it even gets a look in.

Email etiquette

With many employers having policies permitting them to monitor and prohibit employee email activity, avoid using your company email address on any job applications. Create a personal email account specifically for your job search, after all applying via your work email address creates an err of disrespect for your current employer.

Dress for the job you want not the job you have

Your image is the outer reflection of your inner-self allowing people to make judgements and assumptions about your personality and attitude, as Shakespeare once said: "Apparel oft proclaims the man." So at interview, always err on the side of caution and follow the assumption that it is better to overdress than under-dress.

Never stop giving 100%

You may have resolved to finding a new job, but dont shoot yourself in the foot by making colleagues suspicious. Dont let your standards slip and continue putting in 100% effort because if you dont land another job, you will have to stay where you are for a while longer and you could be putting your existing position under threat.

Never give up

Getting a new job wont happen overnight and most career experts estimate that the average job search can take anywhere between two and ten months. But remember, the more Nos you get the closer you become to that all-important Yes.