How to Make Yourself Stand Out in the Job Market during an Economic Downturn
Gary Bloxham
Director | Financial Services Recruitment | Risk and Compliance Recruitment | Insurance Recruitment | eMBA Graduate | Commercial Accounting
When the economy takes a downturn, the job market becomes fiercely competitive. Companies start cutting costs , and hiring slows down. Presently the public sector is also shrinking numbers across all ministries which adds to the growing number of applications in the private sector. A positive sign is that even a slight GDP rise in March 2024. Markedly this brought New Zealand out of a technical recession, and inflation is working its way back to levels set by the RBNZ. Taking a cautiously optimistic viewpoint that consumer confidence is returning. But don’t worry it’s not all doom and gloom! There are ways to make yourself stand out and improve your chances of getting hired, even in tough times. Here’s how:
Boost Your Skills
Continued Professional Development: Never stop learning. Search for online courses, some have certifications, or look to attend workshops to keep your skills fresh. Furthermore, websites like LinkedIn Learning and Coursera , offer many courses in various fields of specialism. LinkedIn have bite-size expert led courses when completed you can add these to your online profile.?
Hone in on your Soft Skills: Soft skills like communication, teamwork, agility and problem solving are crucial. Showing you can adapt and work well with others can be what sets you apart.?
Create and Champion a Strong Online Presence
Polish Your online profiles: For instance employers today conduct searches of your online presence across various social media platforms even your profiles on Facebook and Instagram. Make sure your professional profile such as LinkedIn is complete and professional. Highlight your achievements, and skills, and get recommendations from clients, previous employers or business colleagues. Share and contribute to relevant content and engage with posts to stay visible across the network. Most importantly make certain your public profile is discoverable.
Create a Portfolio of achievements: If you’re in a position to highlight projects and/or any other achievements from your career, showcasing your work is essential. Provided it does not breach any confidentiality having a dynamic resume that shows off your expertise could set you apart.
Networking wisely is key
Be laser focused on who represents you: Tap into specialist recruiters at Tyler Wren who represent employers in the Accounting; Banking; Financial Services; Insurance; Legal and Risk sectors. Our team is constantly talking with our networks for job leads and referrals.?
Choose a recruiter to work with exclusively: In a market such as this make sure to work closely with your Recruitment Partner to represent your job search in a structured and transparent manner. Working with a specialist Recruitment Partner gives you valuable insights , and relevant topical news and might lead to job opportunities.
Tailor Your Applications
Customise Everything: Tailor your resume and cover letter for each job application . Your Tyler Wren Recruitment Partner will also give you guidance on our process. Our Partners highlight your relevant experience and applicable information from your resume to showcase skills that match our clients’ jobs. We meet every candidate face to face to make certain we gather relevant information from you to be in the best position to represent you.
Showcase Your Achievements: Focus on your achievements rather than just listing job duties. Customise particular achievements which would talk to the job you are applying for. Numbers show your impact, like “increased sales by 20%” or “cut costs by 15% or “delivered the project under budget by 5%”
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Preparation for Interviews is paramount
This is Your Homework: Researching the company, the role and the interviewers at the Company thoroughly before interviews will show your interest in the role and the Company. In particular interviewers will be impressed if you can answer particular questions for example “So what do you know about our Company and the work that we do?”. Most websites today give you access to online information allowing you to understand their values, culture, and recent developments. For that reason this will help you tailor your responses and again show genuine interest.
Some of us have not interviewed in a long time: A good reference point would be to do mock interviews with friends, mentors, or career coaches. Sometimes if you have been on the other side as the interviewer and not the interviewee attending interviews for yourself can be daunting. Or you simply have not interviewed for a long time and you may be out of practice. Tyler Wren Recruitment Partners will be on call to help with interview preparation before you attend an interview arranged with our clients. More over practice makes perfect so practice common questions and develop situational and action responses for behavioural questions.
Be Flexible and Open to New Opportunities
Be Flexible: Make sure you understand what it is you are looking for in that next role and be flexible with being open to contract, freelance, or part-time work. If you are finding yourself in a transitional time in your career these roles can lead to full-time positions. This will help you gain experience and expand your network with internal stakeholders in an organisation.
Is Remote working for you or thinking of Relocating: If possible, consider relocating to areas with more job opportunities or look for remote work options. The remote work trend has opened up opportunities. Give these points if you are thinking of relocating we are here to help. Tyler Wren finds the best opportunities for their job seekers and the best employees for their employers across Australia, Bermuda, the British Virgin Isles, the Caymans, the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and New Zealand.
Be Resilient, have a Positive Attitude and Be Persistent
Staying Resilient: Job hunting can be tough and time consuming. Staying positive, motivated, and persistent will see positive outcomes through your job search. Rejection is part of the process; learn from each experience and keep moving forward. Your Tyler Wren Recruitment Partner will be your buffer between the company and you. We will guide you with constructive feedback, and tips and negotiate your position.
Take Care of Yourself: Make sure to take time for self-care and exercise to help you relax and recharge.
You are now ready to find that next Job
To stand out in the job market takes a proactive and multi-faceted approach through adaptability and continuous improvement. Nonetheless as you grow your skills, build and create a strong online presence. Work with a specialist recruiter at Tyler Wren, tailor your applications, prepare thoroughly for interviews, and maintain a positive attitude, you can increase your chances of landing that job.
So what’s next
Here at Tyler Wren, we know good people know good people, that’s why if you refer someone to Tyler Wren, with whom we secure a new role, we offer a voucher of *$600. Click here to refer to a friend.?
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