How to approach your job search in the new year!

It is here, a new decade! In 1966, Time Magazine predicted an economic era of unrivalled wealth created by a machine workforce that would leave us free to simply watch the money roll in.

Well, 2020 is here and while automation & A.I is undoubtedly on the path to eliminating certain roles, we are sadly, still very much needed.

Amongst the obligatory ‘get fit’ new year resolutions a large percentage of you would have been analysing the last year, your career, your goals and redefining where your career is heading.

If this sounds like you, I have put together my thoughts on how best to approach your job search this year. This is not a definitive list but should help you on your way.

1)   Reviewing your goals

It is so important to set goals at the beginning of every year and review them regularly, it is how we track progress. Whether it was to work on larger projects, take on greater responsibility, achieve that promotion or strike a better work life balance, it doesn’t matter as long as you had a goal. If you have not already, take a look at the year gone by, did you achieve your goals? Were any promises made by your current employer not kept?

With our hectic schedules it is all too easy to forget to take time to revisit our goals, without doing so we can lose sight of our development.

*If you did not set any goals, I would highly recommend taking some time to invest in creating some for this year. 

P.S one of mine for 2020 was to write my first LinkedIn article.

2)   What is important to you?

Having now reviewed your goals and hopefully hit most of them, it is time to reflect on what is important to you right now.

For some people it is money, for others it is job satisfaction, or it could be one of the many permutations in-between (there is no right or wrong).

Redefining what is important to you is central to deciding the next step in your career.

Make a list of priorities and mark their importance to you.

3)   What are your push factors?

99.9% of us will have at least one grumble with our current role and it may well not be enough to push you to make a move. Like the coffee could be better, or the walls need a lick of paint.

However, should you lose motivation, feel undervalued or grow tired of broken promises it may be time to move on.

The key here is to evaluate whether those grievances are causing you distress or shackling personal development, if they are, it might be time to search for a new role.

4)   Updating your CV

It is critical to have a well written, concise and up to date CV. I don’t want to turn this into a CV writing article (that might be next) but I have highlighted a few tips.

Yes, ideally keep it to 2 pages and yes, it is fine to go just over. Highlight your key achievements remembering to quantify what that meant to the business. Check, check, check your grammar and spelling!

A good recruiter will sit down with you over a coffee to talk through your CV and any improvements that might be needed.

5)   Utilise your network

As a recruiter I would love to say that using a recruitment business (specifically Xpertise) is the only way to secure your next role. In reality it isn’t, you know your market, you have connections, so make sure you utilise them!

If you have not been networking recently then start doing it, catchup with those old colleagues over a coffee, absorb what is happening in the industry, attend meetups in your specialism to ensure you have a well-rounded view of the market. You might well still use a recruiter, but it can do no harm ensuring you are fully informed.

6)   Make your LinkedIn attractive to employers & recruiters

The reality is LinkedIn is the number one marketplace for new opportunities and for creating an open professional profile.

Unfortunately, there are lots of poorly constructed profiles out there making it difficult for employers and recruiters to locate you. “But it is your job to find me!” I hear you cry. Sure, but why make it harder when there is a vast sea of candidates doing all they can to stand out ahead of you? Realistically updating your profile will take 30 minutes, do not let it stand in the way of the right job for you. 

Quick tip, make sure your employment record is up to date and your picture is professional. Most recruiters will be searching for key skills and utilising buzzwords so make sure they are in there.

7)   Speak to a few trusted recruiters

As much as some people don’t like to admit it, recruitment companies are a hugely important part of any industry. We are the broker; we work on the behalf of our candidates and clients, doing our best to marry the two up. Any decent recruiter will take the time to understand your requirements but also be candid enough to advise you on what is realistic. Recruiters provide a helicopter view of the whole market, who wouldn’t want that information!

8)   Keep track of your applications

It never fails to surprise me when people don’t do this. Your CV is a chance to a new opportunity, you should control where it is sent.

When dealing with a recruiter, you should always insist on providing written confirmation before your CV goes out to any potential employer. If a recruiter is not happy working like that, then I would suggest finding a new one.

9)   Keep an open mind

Several businesses have a poor reputation, some are merited, others are not. 

I often speak to candidates who will not consider an opportunity based on information they received, often a long time ago. While that information may be correct, it may not be representative of the business as a whole. I would always suggest attending an interview to discover for yourself.

Worst-case scenario, you will confirm your doubts while gaining valuable interview preparation for the role you really want further down the line. Or maybe, just maybe the opportunity might be right for you. 

Don’t shut down your options before they have even started.

10) Pros & Cons List

You cannot beat an old-fashioned pros & cons list; I stand by them. Lining up the pros of a new role against the cons provides real clarity. During the process of securing a new role we can often lose sight of why we started the search in the first place.

Not long ago I was sitting on a beach with my wife considering moving back to the UK after 5 and a half years (a decision we had been pondering for some time). With a trusty pen and paper, we detailed the pros & cons of moving home. We noted down all the reasons and tallied up the results, the UK won by one and we moved home. For the record it was a good decision.

Before we wrote that list, we had struggled for months to make a clear judgement. However, with emotion removed and all the factors weighed up we made the right decision and have not looked back….(apart from the occasional gloomy Manchester morning).

11) Go back to your push factor list

During the time it takes to secure a job offer you may have attended numerous networking events, attended multiple interviews and had one too many coffees. All that can cloud the true reasons you were looking in the first place.

Evaluate the offer in front of you, does it address the push factors that caused you to start your search? If it does, then go for it!

Sometimes in the midst of the job hunt we can make decisions that are no longer based on what is important to you.

While I am sure there are various other factors to weigh up hopefully this gives you a few helpful pointers on how to approach your job search.

If you want to discuss the next step in your career across IT & Technology, then I am always open to a coffee.