How do you approach your job search?

Believe it or not your CV says a hell of a lot more about you than you realise. How a CV is laid out, the choice of tone and design all culminates to form a subliminal message. The reader can tell if you’re in a good mood, bad mood, like your job, can’t be bothered, have self-worth, worried… pretty much any mood and some of your thoughts too…. spooky!!

My friend Andrew MacAskill wrote a brilliant post on LinkedIn “I wish I could give Job Seekers a system refresh”…if only! We’ve both been working in recruitment for years, have seen millions of CVs, dealt with thousands of people and see the same behaviours over and over again. I urge you to read it.

There’s a whole multitude of characters we come into contact with and a whole multitude of reasons why their job search isn’t working out for them but for the masses who are on the hamster wheel of job search frustration, sending hundreds of applications with zero response or even getting to interview stage but not getting job offers, it’s time to review. Review your mindset, your approach and change the impression you’re giving. 

So now what?

1.    If you're not hearing back on your applications delete your current CV, do not refer to it, do not copy and paste from it, it’s not working

2.    Take a moment, this is the start of the “new you”

3.    Where’s your happy place? Before you start writing anything, a positive mindset is paramount. How you get there is up to you. Watch your favourite comedy sketch, hang out with your “funny” friends, play your uplifting music....

4.    Write down your 5-10 top strengths in your job role.

5.    Start with a blank piece of paper and tell us about you. What have been your positive experiences, what do you enjoy most, what motivates you, inspires you? Don’t sell the companies you’ve worked for or projects you’ve worked on, this is about YOU and only YOU. What have you done? What are you proud of? Talk about your strengths, challenges, achievements and make sure you use the 5-10 keywords throughout

A negative mindset, mood or associated feeling can be detrimental to our own progression.

·     If you're sending out hundreds of applications with no response, change it.

·     If you’re not happy at work, change it

·     If you’re not getting through interview stage, stop, reflect, change it

·     If you notice you’re saying negative things to yourself, list them, change it

Moving house and moving jobs are right up there with the most stressful experiences an individual goes through in their lives. Give yourself the best chance possible by controlling the factors you can, don’t panic, construct a CV to be proud of and put the best version of you out there. A negative mindset has a domino effect...and so does a positive mindset