Getting yourself a job is something that can feel like a challenge but is actually a lot more achievable if you put your mind to it. Whether you’re fresh out of school or you’re looking for a career change, applying for jobs is one thing but actually getting a job interview can be more difficult.
Knowing what you need in order for the recruitment agent or team to sit up and take notice of your CV is key. It can be the difference between you being put in the reject pile or the one that secures you the interview you need to impress those hiring for the role.
With this in mind, here are some helpful tips to improve your chances of getting a job.
1. Network to meet new people
Networking is a helpful skill to have when you’re trying to secure yourself a job. The people you know might be influential to how likely you get into the interview room.
There are often plenty of opportunities to meet new people. Networking is one of them and this can happen nowadays both online and offline. You’ve got a real mix of paid and free events that are worth attending in order to mix with those that could secure you a chance of getting interviews or at least meeting those who could be influential in the future.
You never know who you’re going to meet and it’s always good to be friendly and pleasant to those you meet on the way up. They are likely to be the same ones who watch you fall, or catch you, depending on how nice you were to them.
2. Make sure the job is right for you – and read it properly
When it comes to applying for jobs, you should be mindful of the reality you exist in. How likely is it that you’ll be able to do the job that’s being described? Of course, nothing is impossible, just highly improbable.
Someone who hasn’t got a law degree isn’t going to get themselves into the interview room of a law firm as easily as someone who has. There are certain skills and talents that might not be as attainable for some people, as they would be for others.
That’s why it’s necessary and often crucial to read the job descriptions of jobs you’re interested in. It’s imperative that you’re able to do the job and that you read it properly to ensure you’ve not missed out on anything that could cost you the interview.
3. Update your CV
Updating your CV is an absolute must, especially when you’ve not been in the world of recruitment for a long time. For some people, it could be a case of being in a job for upwards of a decade and suddenly they’re in this position of needing a new job.
In that space of ten years, a lot can be gained and achieved, so going around applying for jobs with your old CV is not going to earn you any favours.
Updating your CV takes a little time and you might want to have multiple versions depending on what type of job or career you’re looking to enter into. The more concise and relatable to the career or industry you’re looking at, the more impressed the recruitment officer is going to be.
If you’re not one for updating your CV as often as you should, or you find it a little challenging, there are plenty of services and individuals out there who will be happy to update your CV for you.
4. Don’t forget about the cover letter
The cover letter is a forgotten part of the application process but it can often be the document that makes a difference to getting the job.
Sometimes, the job advertisement will ask for a cover letter and may even be specific in the job description about what they need from a cover letter. Applicants who ignore the job description or don’t include the cover letter will quickly find themselves out of the running.
Writing a cover letter can be a challenging part of the process and one that you should clue yourself up on if you’re not used to writing it.
Cover letters tend to be no more than an A4 document, so limit your word count so it fits all on one page. You can often go into more detail about what makes you the ideal candidate for the role but also touch on personal points about the business not to mention who you are as a person.
5. Prepare for the interview
Preparing for the interview is crucial because it can be the difference between a successful one and one where you come out of the room, feeling like you could have done more.
Ultimately, you want to walk out of the interview with a smile on your face. Being proud that you ticked off all the boxes and did everything you could do to ace the interview.
Preparing for the interview might be to understand exactly what the process might entail. This could be something you’re given in advance. You might also want to look at practising interview questions with someone you trust or know to be good at interviews.
6. Research the company for bonus points
If you know anything about the company beyond just the role you’re applying for, then these are bonus points that will often work in your favour. Researching the company so that you’ve got a few tidbits to throw into the mix, is handy.
7. It’s all about body language and how you come across
You may find it useful to look at how you come across in general and in professional environments like an interview room. There are opportunities nowadays to work on your body language or to soften an accent to make you more understandable.
Improving your body language and how you present yourself can do wonders to achieve tens across the board in the interview room – even if you don’t get the job.
Improving your chances of getting a job can be great for your career prospects, so use these tips to help.
