Top tips for job seekers

If you are out of work, it can be very easy to get demoralised, and looking for a job can be physically and emotionally draining. It might feel impossible at times, but one of the best tips we can offer is to try and get organised.

Why is this important?

As mentioned in one of our previous blogposts, it is really important to be prepared and ready for any opportunities that may come your way. If you are methodical and organised, you will find it much easier to act when you see a job advertised.

There are lots of job sites out there offering advice, and we liked the “plan your day” suggestions from Bubble Jobs. However, not everyone will be able to plan their day so methodically, as we know that many people have other responsibilities, such as family, part-time work or volunteering.

Top tips

Let’s break it down and give you our top three tips for getting organised as a job seeker:

1. Pen and paper: Writing things down is not everyone’s cup of tea, and you might prefer to use spreadsheets, voice memos or notes on your phone. However, it is strongly recommended to keep a note of everything you do – if you send an email, make a phone call or apply for a job, then record what you did, who you contacted, and the date and time. That way, you can easily make a follow-up enquiry e.g. “further to my phone call with Emma in your HR team on the 21^st August, I am writing to follow-up about the possibility of working with you”.

• Target your enquiries: You shouldn’t necessarily apply for every job you see! To quote the old cliché, “work smarter, not harder”. It is usually far more effective to send three or four tailored enquiries or applications, than adopt a scattergun approach of just sending your CV to ten, twenty or more companies. Treat your CV as the basis for your applications, rather than the finished package.

• Set yourself reminders: It is important to follow-up, whether you have sent a formal job application or just made a speculative enquiry about a possible opportunity. With formal job applications, they may let you know when they plan to interview, or for the job to start, so keep a note! Otherwise, set yourself a reminder (in your diary, computer or phone) to get in touch with people after you have had an initial conversation or sent them an email – two weeks is usually a good bet.

If you are not feeling confident about applying for jobs, or making speculative applications, then do get in touch. We have a range of packages that can help you, but we won’t charge you for your initial enquiry – there is no such thing as a silly question!