Rates of employment are ever increasing in the UK, but 1.46m people are still job hunting. In previous years, jobs were a little more straightforward to get, when they were available – you could turn up at a site and find a job on the same day.
However, the age we live in is one of incredible opportunity for everyone. Jobseekers and employers have found a myriad of ways to get jobs out there and to apply for them, and even ways to help remedy stalling careers on the fly. So, what are the tips and tricks you need to know to send a message to recruiters in 2017 – and what methods are likely to be most useful in 2018 and years to come?
Going Online
Probably the simplest and most straightforward adaptation you can make to your jobseeking behaviour is to use digital technology. The vast majority of recruiters, even if they’re not primarily based online, will have a presence. Being available online is key, and even local area recruiters advertise online, meaning you can be out looking for employment physically and on a portable device. More and more companies are becoming ‘digital first’.
Whilst you’ll do well to make an online presence, make sure that you diversify your job seeking. Research has shown that employers report the great percentage of ‘good’ hires are from referrals by employees already working at the place.
Be Organised
Most of the requirements needed in terms of documentation, licenses, clearance, and so on, are now digitally hosted and available on government websites. This means that there isn’t any room for ignorance – employers know exactly what they need from day one, without finding stops and stalls in their recruitment process. Make sure you have all of your relevant paperwork in order when or shortly after you apply, so you’re ready to progress as soon you get a call.
Also make sure that you’re taking advantage of any new schemes introduced by the government and private sector to get your documentation online and available. Savvy recruiters will have a preference for anyone who is able to succinctly present their credentials online with the latest methods. This is going to become especially important in 2018, as new data protection laws are introduced. So, make sure you’re clued up, and you’ll make it straightforward for recruiters to pick your name out of the pool.
Be Professional
Employers are increasingly scouring social media when sleuthing their employees these days. With 2.01 billion Facebook users alone (and rising), employers are using searches as a valuable source of information. That counts for the other big players, too, such as Twitter and MySpace.
This will most likely affect you, as a job-seeker as the latest figures show that 93% of recruiters inspect social media. It might seem trivial, but don’t underestimate the value your data has, as already, tailored advertisements appear in messenger applications.
So treat your social media like a professional profile; don’t have compromising information posted to it, and have your postings be well-written and non-incendiary. If all else fails, make your social media presence private if you don’t feel like you want to change your content.
Recruitment can seem like a minefield in the digital age. There’s seemingly endless opportunities, you don’t know which websites are good, and whether you should be sticking to old methods. The answer is to bring your work life out into recruitment; be persistent, act professionally and spread your wings. If you ever feel that you need help, you should get online counselling. It could help you in becoming your best self, playing up to your strengths and handling the pressure of jobseeking with ease.
