It's a new year therefore the perfect time to ramp up your job search. Companies have new budgets to spend and after the December slump, the job market increases greatly in January.
Job hunting can feel like a whole other job in itself and if you've been looking for a while now, it's easy to get stuck in the same old habits leaving you feeling disheartened. Here's our tips on what you can do to ramp up your job search.
1. Use social media to it's full potential
Think social media is just for posting photos of last nights dinner or your plans for the weekend? Think again. Some of the UK's leading companies are using social media to fill their vacancies and you'll even find jobs that you won't find on job boards. Also, don't just stick to LinkedIn; Twitter and Facebook are prime platforms for job hunting. Just be sure to think about what you're posting in case potential employers check you out.
2. Get creative with your CV
The job market is much more competitive now than it was a few years ago so you need to be thinking about how you can stand out. Depending on your industry, the average job post can receive over 100 applications so how do you ensure your application gets seen? Why not have some fun with your CV. We don't mean go crazy but adding some colour and changing the way information is displayed will make you instantly stand out. There are some great CV templates available.
3. Take a break
What? That can't be right? I thought I was supposed to be ramping up my job search we hear you say. Nope, we highly recommend that you don't log on to the job boards every day. Seeing the same jobs over and over can add to feeling disheartened. If you had a job would you work 7 days a week without burnout? No? Well the same goes for job hunting.
4. Create a hot list
Don't just rely on jobs coming to you, go out and look for them. Create a 'hot list' of 20 - 30 companies that you would like to work for and make contact with them. There's no need to go in cold anymore either, do your research on LinkedIn to find the right contact and get in touch.
5. Network
If you're in a job search slump, networking is the perfect way to make new connections both online and offline. Don't be afraid to get in touch and ask to meet for a coffee. It's the people you know.
FGS Recruitment is a boutique recruitment agency specialising in recruiting sales and marketing jobs in our core markets of Digital Media, Learning & Development and Market Research. Keep up to date with our latest career advice articles and jobs by signing up to our newsletter and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
