DO YOU WANT OR NEED A NEW JOB IN 2024 or 2025?

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OK so if that’s the decision made, start now, you have some hurdles to get over.

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1.????????????????? Sort the CV /Resume out

2.????????????????? Seek opportunities and send in the CV /Resume

3.????????????????? Getting an initial call

4.????????????????? Attend interviews, on-line or face-to-face

5.????????????????? Get an offer

Sounds really easy, right?

But the world has changed, many clients are doing their own recruitment, and they are using ATS Systems and AI engines, to select people for their short- lists.

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Why, because they don’t have time to read 200-400 CVs from the applicants that apply.

You will be unlikely to get traction from your network, as you may have done in the past.

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But you can get the help you need.

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Your CV / RESUME

So, what does the CV /Resume actually look like?? Is it good enough for 2024 & 2025?

Like just about everything else what worked in the past does not work in 2024/2025, everyone is dealing with a new paradigm.

I bet your current CV /Resume has got 5 lines of profile and then a list of roles you have held. Each with 6-8 bullet points, right? Maybe a list of achievements.

But does it tell the hiring manager or the recruiter who you are?

What your behaviour is like?

Does it answer the 12-15 questions that they have or want to know about every potential candidate?

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The danger

The ATS Systems and AI engines will strip out your cover letter, they will strip out all of your bullet points and that doesn’t leave much content left.

?So, you need to correct this, and you need to know how to get a smart CV /Resume?

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Seeking Opportunities

It’s getting harder to get opportunities via your network, even if they are senior people who would love to work with you again. They are unlikely to get you in the frame as they may have been able to do in the past.

So that leaves looking for opportunities on LinkedIn or other job boards, as most companies are using these to advertise roles.

If you know a couple of good recruiters that still have roles that you are interested in, that’s a real bonus, but finding a specialist is often hard.

So, let’s get real. First of all, you need to start with a strategy.

§? What role or roles are you going to apply for.

§? What salary and OTE are you looking for.

§? What culture do you ideally want.

§? Are you looking for a WFH, 100% office or a hybrid role.

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It’s currently a ‘client market’ and likely to stay that way for the foreseeable and there is a push to get people back in the office a 100%. Plus, they are not hiring generalist, but specialists. So, you must be very targeted in what you want, you need to look and sound like a specialist. Because clients are only looking for specialist. So, decide what you want and be focused on those roles that are offering what you are looking for and don’t get distracted with other things.

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Getting an Initial Call

If you get on the initial short-list and get a request for a call from an internal recruiter or even the hiring manager, you need to make sure you have all the answers they are looking for and a clear and concise story about who you are and what you are looking for.?

Or the call may move straight into a full-blown ‘online interview’ or even lead to a couple of these. These are really about the recruiter or even the hiring manager cutting down the short-list. They may have 20 people on the list, but they don’t have the time to see everyone face-to-face.? You need to practice these and have your answers ready to ensure you get through these calls and ideally get called forward for the ‘face-to-face interview’.

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Attend a face-to-face interview

This is the long grass, the home stretch, its where you can excel. But again, you must have your answers ready, and prepare the information that you want them to have about you.

Many interviewers will have a script, and this is likely what they will use with every candidate. Others will do it in an adhoc manner and be looking at it from the point of view ‘do I like this person or can I work with this person’.? But again, it’s all about making sure you have all the answers they are looking for and a clear and concise story about who you are, and what you are looking for. Just like your CV /Resume it’s an opportunity to give them the information you want them to have.?

This is the qualification stage for you as well as them, are you what they are looking for and are they a fit for you. Ask them as many questions as possible (knowledge is power) it will help you to understand if the opportunity is right for you. The last thing you need is starting a job only to find out its not right for you.

Be measured and credible, polish the shoes, wear a shirt, jacket and tie, even if you know it’s a dress down environment, this is an interview, so shine.

If you need coaching on this, or someone to run through scenarios or ‘role play’ we can set up time to do this, just reach out.

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If you are getting interviews but not getting offers.

Is it your answers that are coming over as ‘overconfident’ (cocky) or ‘under confident’ (weak)?

What about the hard question if you have been out of work for a while?? Do you have a really good answer, a story, your answers need to have a beginning, middle and an end and then ask if they want more information. Make sure the tone and balance is right, you have to own this and be confident but not over confident.? I recommend practicing this again and again, claim it as yours or get a coach to help on this to get better at it.

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The offer

Just like at the beginning, creating your strategy regarding what you want, but add in what you will settle for.

For many, the reason to leave a current role may be driven by earning more or getting a better OTE or a better ‘work life balance’. Or it might just be a fresh challenge or a better cultural experience. For some, it maybe they have been a victim of a cull or downsizing, ‘last one in first one out’. Whatever the reason it’s the time to reassess what you want next.

If you want it badly enough you will get it, but make sure it the right one no one wants to ‘jump out of the frying pan into the fire’. But this time you need to change the rhetoric, if you need help and coaching then I’m here to help.

Like anything in life, we need help to learn and understand, help to practice till we own it ourselves, just like everything you already know.

One of the greatest strikers of all time, Thierry Henry has had a coach most of his adult life, now he coaches many other players.?

If you have pain in your leg or back, you go and see the osteopath. It might take a few sessions to get you back on track but its worth it to get it sorted. Or you run the risk of living with the pain and just hope it will sort itself out. Getting coaching is the same, or live with it and hope you are lucky, and it sorts itself out. Getting a coach can help with the strategy, provide the practice and give you the routes to save you time, prepare you for the ‘BIG GAME’. No one wants to spend months on the bench, waiting around & getting rejection after rejection for those dream roles and offers, when you could have ‘a couple in the hand and a couple in the bush’.

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If you want a chat to see if I can help, DM me or book a call.

https://calendly.com/william-howard

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???????????????? About the Author

Howard Longstaff has over 30 years of experience delivering people within the talent acquisition arena, working extensively across the UK, Europe, USA, and Canada. Specialising in building ‘Sales Teams’, and back filling roles in the Leadership Team, (the C-Suite), helping to get the balance right.

‘Getting it right first time’ is never easy, Howard is one of the few executive search consultants who is willing to guarantee the work he does, offering a 12-month free replacement. ‘No one is perfect, but a team can be’, working with SaaS startups, SEM’s and Mid-Market clients who are scaling up, working on an exclusive or retained basis.

Repeatedly building teams across three continents, he has a good breadth of knowledge across the talent acquisition and enterprise software arenas.

Over the last 20 years he has also coached 1000’s of people, staff, clients and candidates, either career coaching or general life coaching. Now as a ‘Full-Stack People Consultant he spends his time coaching and placing people.

[email protected]? +44 (0) 7710 907 988

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