Job hunting: Six top job hunting tips

If you’re looking for a job and aren’t sure where to start, or how to position yourself, you’re not alone.

The rising cost of living means thousands of businesses are laying off staff, with many people out of work.

It can be intimidating to try and find a job at first so we spoke to some career experts to give you some tips.

There have been many shifts in the workplace in recent years. Hybrid and flexible working means your job search can take longer, literally.

Yvonne Smyth, head of diversity and inclusion at Hays Recruitment says “Proximity isn’t as important as it used to be, so when you’re looking for work, search far and wide in terms of geography.

“Also if you want to work part-time or say four days a week, don’t let full-time positions stop you from applying,” he said.

“Businesses are more flexible than you think and if you are the right candidate who can do the job in fewer days it makes sense for them to adapt the role.”

Ms Smyth also says it’s important to use key words when you’re searching online.

“For example if there is a key skill or industry like marketing or retail that you are interested in, you want it to be captured by the algorithms of the search platforms.

“That’s why the daily search for these words is important, to know what you want.

“Participation is also key and that means clicking on jobs with job titles or a company you like so the platform can provide more of the same.”

Not all jobs are publicly announced. It’s always worth sending an email or chatting with a manager of a business you want to check out, because you never know when an opening will come up.

Many businesses prefer to avoid the expense of advertising a job formally and may rely on word of mouth.

Miranda Kyte, an expert on career trends at Glassdoor says: “Another route is to use your network, let friends, former colleagues, family know that you are looking for a new position.

“They can check internal job boards for open roles in their own companies and refer you or they can know others who can help.”

Many places still ask for a CV and a cover letter when you apply for a job.

But now you can advertise yourself more visibly through social media sites like Linkedin that showcase your skills and experience.

Other platforms like Twitter and Instagram can prove useful if you introduce yourself to potential employers as well.

Yvonne Smyth from Hays says it’s important to focus on skills.

“Many people look at the years required in a job description but in fact it is more important that a candidate has the right skills. Try to look for parallels and make it clear in your application. ”

It can be a little daunting if the jobs you want require certain specific qualifications. It might be worth seeing if there are any ways to get the experience or training you need to get a job while you’re looking.

Miranda Kyte from Glassdoor says: “Many courses these days are free and you can do them online. Volunteering is also a great way to fill in gaps in your CV or get asked to do some work shadow the companies you want to work for.”

It’s easy to get discouraged when you’re turned away after interviews time after time, or you don’t feel like you’re going to get in the door in the first place.

Our career experts say it’s good to review how you’re doing in your search from time to time and try different approaches.

Career influencer, Mehar Sindhu Batra, says that it is very useful to set personal targets, such as a tracker of the number of jobs available in a week or a certain number of cold calls. email.

He is a big believer in recognizing small victories along the way to keep your spirits up.

“Perhaps you landed an interview, received positive feedback on your resume or cover letter, or connected with a helpful contact. Celebrating these victories will boost your confidence and keep you motivated”.