How to Stay Proactive with your Job Search
If you’ve have been looking to change jobs for a while, without success, you are probably at the point of feeling quite disheartened. Even more so if you are applying for jobs and not even getting acknowledgements of your applications. For some it can even get to the stage where you realise that you’re applying for jobs that you don’t really want!
It is easy to let your head drop and think all is lost or even get highly, unhealthily anxious. It’s important to stay structured focused and importantly proactive! Not only is doing this an antidote to job search anxiety and pessimism but it significantly enhances your chances of securing that dream role.
Here are some ways to do that and stay proactive in your job search.
Make a great job of your CV but a greater one of getting it working for you!
There are numerous opinions on CVs and it’s possible to spend a disproportionate amount of time fussing and finessing over yours. First reviews of CVs often happen in a matter of seconds and so it is important that yours has impact and gets main points across. We offer advice and guidelines on writing your CV here.
In summary, your CV is a very important document but our most important advice is to pursue pace over perfection and pragmatism over pretence! In other words, write your CV well, but most importantly get it out there and working for you. Your CV is a conversation starter - not a certificate for your study wall - using it in appropriate applications and networking are the activities that will start the conversations that will lead to your next role.
Follow Up Your Interest
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place” George Bernard Shaw
If you’ve applied for a role, it’s absolutely appropriate to follow up within a couple of days. It’s professional to check that your application has been received and in today’s fast paced online environment it’s entirely possible that systems glitches or innocuous clicks, drags and drops can misplace an application. Following up also shows a conscientious, enquiring mindset and asking if further information is required demonstrates that you take initiative and have the kind of self-starting attitude that employers look for in the people they recruit.
Networking
Ask your current network if they know of any opportunities that might suit you. Attend events where there is access to people in your industry. The key is to get out and about, not just sitting applying for endless amounts of jobs, which is the mistake most candidates make. The more proactive you are, the better you’ll feel about yourself too. It’s affirming, and you’ll feel more confident that you are doing all you can to find a new job.
Ask for Feedback
If your applications seem to be going into a black hole, don’t be afraid to ask for some feedback. It may be that small changes to your CV will give you a better chance of success or as mentioned, it may be that your CV has been lost in the volume of applications. You’ll never know if you don’t ask, so if you are not getting a response, find out the reasons why.
Stay Calm, Balanced and Focused
Only you can make the choices that look after your best interests so stay tuned in to what really matters to you. The career moves that you could choose to make next will always be much more numerous than the options you will want to pursue. Stay focused on those that you want and which will work for you.
So stay calm, balanced and focused but also proactive. If you’ve genuinely got the skillset for the opportunities you pursue, have a positive attitude to package those skills up in, and you’re doing the right things in your search then the right opportunity will only be a matter of time.
ASKE Consulting are automotive industry experts and specialists in Executive Search, Resourcing Solutions and People Centred Consulting operating within the UK and internationally. For more information on what we do please get in touch.