Sharing relevant industry news is a great way to show you are knowledgeable and up to date
According to a new survey by Right Management, 86 per cent of employees polled said they plan to actively look for new job in 2013 — an increase of 26 percentage points since 2009.
“There’s always a spike of job-seeking activities from January to March when the New Year’s revolutionists come out,” says Amanda Augustine, job search expert for TheLadders, an online job-matching service for professionals. “It will be even higher this year because companies are now doing more with less, and a lot of employees are taking a step back and questioning their current positions.”
Despite December being typically a slow month for interviews and hiring, Augustine says jobseekers can use the time to reflect, prepare and start reaching out to contacts. Then they can hit the ground running in January. Based on a new survey of TheLadders’ five million members and the latest hiring trends, she reveals her five best tips to land a new job in the New Year.
Get professional help
Jobseekers are 40 per cent more likely to get noticed with a professionally written résumé, but most candidates do not even think to hire a professional writer. “It’s very difficult to be objective when you’re talking about your own life,” Augustine says, “And no one searches for a job often enough to understand the nuances. It’s better to have an objective person who knows the right terminology.” Because résumé are so often filtered first by software programmes, without the right keywords, your résumé may never even reach a human Hiring a professional is pricey, but she believes it is absolutely worth it.
Google your name often
Of the jobseekers surveyed, more than 35 per cent Google themselves only once a year and 16 per cent have never searched their names. Augustine says a candidate’s digital presence has become so important that it is essential to consistently monitor your top search results and adjust them to best reflect your professional brand. That means updating old profiles, revising privacy settings on personal social media sites or posts, and understanding what surfaces at the top, in case you are asked about it in an interview.
‘The big four’ social sites
While you do not need to be a social media whiz, Augustine says it is important to have a basic understanding of the four most common sites: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Not only are they helpful for research and networking, these sites can also build out your professional brand. You can use your profile to highlight your career background and link to relevant writings or sites. Sharing relevant industry news is also a great way to show you are knowledgeable and up to date. Furthermore, surveys show that 85 per cent of hiring managers say a candidate’s positive digital presence impacted their hiring decision. But beware: one of the biggest mistakes a candidates can make online is using poor grammar.
Look the part
Appearance matters — in person and online. Research show that people asses your competence and trustworthiness in a quarter of a second based solely on how you look. Because recruiters and hiring managers are likely to look you up online before they call you in for an interview, Augustine recommends updating all of your social media profiles with a professional-quality headshot. It is important to humanise yourself with a photo of you rather than a group or abstract image or, worse, the default photo of an egg or blank silhouette. When you land an interview, make sure your look is polished, stylish and appropriate.
Get smarter, go mobile
According to 75 per cent of respondents, owning a smartphone can have a positive impact on your job search. “Mobile technology allows you to be much more responsive and to take advantage of dead time by investing in your job search,” says Augustine. She advises saving a copy of your résumé on your phone, so that you can quickly send it to potential employers. Having e-mail at your fingertips also gives you the ability to set up interviews and calls without any lag time. Furthermore, mobile technology allows you to search job listings during a commute or other down time, so that you are missing any opportunities.
— Agencies
