Contrary to popular belief the festive period is actually a great time to tackle a new job search. You may be forgiven in thinking that Christmas is a time when people and companies start to slow down after a hard year's work and begin switching off in the days and weeks before their time off. Our Riada team thinks differently and advises you to keep your job search active.
Many of our clients within essential industries across Northern Ireland are currently reviewing their budgets and are wanting to find new, quality candidates to join their organisations in the first few months of 2021. We understand, however, this year isn’t a normal year and those seeking employment have new factors to consider in their job search including fierce competition amongst job seekers, the global pandemic and a recession. In this blog we are revealing 4 ways you can stand out from the crowd this winter and get ahead of the competition coming into the new year.
Practice good habits
Some tried and tested methods should still be remembered in this winter’s job search. For example, remember to research a company, check out who the interviewer will be, study the job description carefully and be prepared to talk about yourself fully.
Top Tip > follow up with your prospective company after an interview to ensure they stand out in the crowd, for example, thanking them for their time, reinforcing why you would be great for the role and praise their company culture, demonstrating how you would enhance it and fit right in.
Embrace the Virtual World
Currently, face-to-face interviews have been stalled, meaning many interviewers and employers are turning to professional networking sites to understand who someone is, as well as looking for previous work online. It’s therefore time to tidy up any profiles and consider creating an online portfolio to showcase any work. Check out our blogs on how to use Linkedin and Facebook to maximise your career prospects.
Highlight your skills
One thing employers want to assess is the skills a candidate may have, with particular onus on transferable ones. This allows potential employers to gauge how fast a new recruit can settle in and adapt in a new role. It’s therefore worth highlighting each of these on a CV and in online work, to ensure hiring managers are aware straight away. Ensure a CV mirrors the words or phrases used in a job ad, as well as expressing the transferable skills you have in order to stand out from the crowd- if you can easily express how you meet the criteria in your CV, you will get instantly noticed.
Video Interviews
As mentioned earlier, due to a lack of face-to-face interaction, video interviews are now the norm for securing a job. It’s worth doing a quick assessment of tech beforehand to ensure everything is working as it should and finding a quiet spot indoors with good lighting. This is your one chance to make a good first impression, so remember to prepare.
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Are you looking for a new job coming into the new year? Struggling with changing jobs during a lock-down? Our team is here to help. Register online today.