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New Year New Career
time of year that many people start to dust off their c.v. and look for a new job.
So if you are thinking about a job move, then we have drafted in Corinne Mills,
Managing Director of Personal Career Management, to provide
some useful tips.
According to Corinne, the biggest mistake that most people make when
looking for a new job is lack of focus. “It amazes me that so many people look
for another job without having a clear idea of what they are looking for”.
In fact Corinne estimates that well over 80% of job-seekers are unclear about what
they want next. “The problem with this is that they waste time and energy
applying for things which aren’t right for them”. In addition, she says that
more often than not, when people don’t know what they want next, they
simply fall into roles that resemble their last ones.
She advises taking time out to consider your career options and aspirations
before starting to apply for jobs. “Take a good honest look at what we at
Personal Career Management call your “career capital” i.e. your skills,
experiences and personal qualities. Then think about what you want from
your career. How would you like it to be different?”
She also suggests asking people who know you and whose opinion you
respect for their advice about potential roles or organizations that they think
might fit your criteria. “Other people can be a great source of ideas and
information if you only ask them”.
However she says that if this doesn’t work, then she would suggest working
with a specialist career coach. “Sometimes people can get stuck. They want
to move their career forward but just don’t know where to start and in these
circumstances professional specialist help is enormously helpful”.
The next stage is to research the job market by talking to agencies and
employers about the kind of roles and organizations you are interested in.
She recommends that you scrutinize job ads to obtain a detailed sense of
what they are looking for in their candidates. Then tailor your c.v. to match
exactly what they are looking for. Where there are any gaps that the
employer could find significant, then you should demonstrate in your covering
letter and at interview exactly how you intend to bridge the gap.
Corinne recommends that you “Make it as easy as possible for an employer to
picture you in the role. Identify what they are looking for and then cherry-pick
from your experience to give them lots of examples of how you can meet their
specific requirements.”
Having genuinely thought through why you are applying for the job in the first
place, will also put you a step ahead of the competition. At interview, you will
be able to answer your questions honestly, rather than relying on the formula
answers that interviewers have heard a hundred times before. This greatly
enhances your credibility and will show how committed you are to the role – a
definite plus point.
Given how much time you spend at work, it certainly makes sense to think
carefully and creatively about your options and do your research, before you
start sending out your c.v. It means that there is a much higher chance of
you actually ending up with a job that you really want.
Happy job-hunting!
