Where to start when looking for a job

Job hunting can be a hugely daunting prospect, albeit if you have been out of work for a while or you are simply looking for a change of direction.


Start off by deciding what kind of roles you are looking for and most suitable for. Think about what skills you have and where they could be applied. There’s no point in looking at roles that you have no interest in, only apply for roles that you really want.

Get your CV up to date, don’t go overboard though. Unless you are just starting out in the world of employment, no employer wants to read about that 2 weeks work experience you undertook 15 years ago. You want to have your CV tailored for a specific job in mind, highlight the skills that you have which would be most beneficial to the job you are applying for. Always get somebody to read over that CV, the tiniest error could be the deciding point whether that company decides to interview you or not. Remember, do not lie, most of the time it will be obvious and it can also be grounds for dismissal if your lie is ever discovered.

Make sure that your contact details are up to date, you don’t want to miss that important call because you changed your contact number 2 years ago but forgot to update your CV. Whilst I am on that topic, please don’t apply for jobs with email addresses like littlecutie569@email.com, seriously, keep it professional. Create yourself a new email specifically for this kind of thing if you have to. Also be prepared, make sure that you have a voicemail set up just in case you miss that call. If you really are in dire need of help, you can request the services of a professional when editing and writing your CV.

Prepare yourself a covering letter, never send a job application or CV without one. This is your way of introducing yourself, you want to be memorable for the right reasons.

Post your CV online, get employers to come to you. By posting your CV online you are making your details available to thousands of employers and recruiters that may not have advertised their vacancy. If they contact you, it shows they are interested and saves you the trouble of trawling through job adverts.

Network, network, network…..I can’t specify this enough, make connections and build relationships, this can certainly help build your career prospects even if like me, you are the shy and introverted type.

It’s time to start applying for jobs, you have your job roles in mind, you have your fresh CV (with the correct contact details!!!) now where do you look?

Sign up to recruiting sites, there’s an abundance of them now, some even specialist. You can even set up alerts with some to send you vacancies that match your job criteria. You can find vacancies for everything from jobs in construction to neurobiologists.

Sign up with recruitment agencies, even if they don’t have something which is suitable straight away, they will keep you on file if another vacancy arises.

Send out speculative CVs to companies that you are interested in working for, you never know what might come of it.

Lastly, don’t be discouraged if you don’t find a job straight away, even if you attend interviews and you are not successful, ask for feedback and thank the interviewer. You might be the person that they think of if another position becomes available.

Good Luck and remember it’s all about the impression that you make.