Finding employment opportunities and making it through the interview process in today’s market is tough to say the least.  But whether you have recently finished education, have been made redundant or are just in a dead-end job looking for a new role is going to be difficult.  In order to help you increase your chances and focus on your job search I’ve narrowed down the best and most productive tips to help you.  Here you go:

1. Get a referral from a friend

One of the most effective ways to get a new job is by being recommended for a role by a friend or acquaintance.  Lots of jobs are never advertised, they are often advertised internally before going out in the public domain.   So talk to people you know, let them know you are looking for a job and ask them if there are any vacancies where they work.

6. Invest in your communication skills

Your communication skills can make or break your chances of getting a job.  When you communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, then you have the ability to leave a positive impression with a HR Manager.  If you lack skills in this area, it’s important that you invest in courses which will improve your skills and capabilities.

7. Take social networking seriously

Social media is a powerful tool when it comes to your job search, so by following and liking Companies online, you will be able to stay up to date with industry news and any suitable job vacancies as soon as they become available.  Remember though that you will need to make sure you have strong and professional social presence.

8. Treat everyone you meet as a potential employer

When looking for a job you should treat everyone you meet as a potential employer, every person is potentially a lead to a role.  It could be within the persons workplace or their brother, sister, aunty or cousin may be recruiting.  Make the most of opportunities that come your way,

9. Market yourself well

Developing a strong personal brand is essential when you are a jobseeker.  Ultimately you are trying to sell your skillset along with your personality to potential employers.  It’s important to remain true to yourself here and not create a fabricated version of who you really are, but you do need to market yourself well.

10. Always be prepared

Preparation is key when trying to find a new job.  A strong candidate is ready at all times.  They have their interview outfit prepared, they have petrol in the car and they have their CV up to date.  They are also ready to drop anything they have arranged for an interview opportunity.  You can go to the Dentist anytime you don’t get the opportunity to obtain a job everyday.

11. Be confident

Have confidence in yourself throughout your job search.  Apply for as many position as are available.  Providing your skills and experience are a good fit for the role what do you have to loose?  If you don’t believe in yourself no-one else will.  You have no reason to doubt yourself, the only person who will hold you back will be yourself.

12. Be persistent

Be persistent but not pushy.  There is a fine line between chasing a job application and harassing a potential employer.  It is appropriate to follow up on a job application either by email or a phone call a week later.  Use this follow up as an opportunity to reiterate your interest in the role, align your experience and skills with the employer needs and display a genuine interest in the position

13. Volunteer

You can add to your CV by doing voluntary work.  This will benefit you in more ways than one.   Firstly, you could gain skills which will be useful to you in your job search.  Secondly by working even if you are not being paid for it stops you having a gap on your CV.

14. Register with agencies

Agencies are a great way to connect with employers.  Many jobs are never advertised.   Some employers prefer to use Agencies on the basis that the Agency will provide them with a small shortlist of suitable candidates and they don’t receive 100’s of unsuitable applications.

15. Use LinkedIn

A large number of employers use LinkedIn to evaluate candidates so ensure your postings are professional, LinkedIn also has a job board where employers post vacancies and you receive alerts of suitable positions.  Make sure you sign up for this and if you haven’t got a LinkedIn presence start one.

16. Re-evaluate your job search

It’s important that the job that you do makes you happy.  A large part of your life is spent at work so the job you do is more important than the salary you get.  So maybe instead of looking for a job at the moment you should be returning to education in order to enter a career where you will be truly happy.

17. Remain positive

Sadly you are going to be faced with rejection and set backs in your job search process, but it’s imperative to not let this get you down.  I’m a strong believer of ‘everything happens for reason’ so pick yourself up and use every rejected application or failed interview as a learning curve for when you secure your ideal job.

18. Focus your search

When there is not a huge number of jobs out there it’s all about quality rather than quantity.  Don’t get side tracked.  Concentrate on applying for jobs you are qualified for in terms of your experience, skills and qualifications.   This will reduce your disappointment, you won’t get so many ‘No’s’

19. Be consistent

Being consistent is key throughout your job search – you need to be on the ball at all times, otherwise you will miss opportunities.  It’s no good looking for a job one day a week.  You have to look everyday.  Looking for a job should become your job.

20. Be prepared for an interview

It’s no good just going along for an interview and hoping for the best.  You need to be prepared.  You need to plan what you are wearing, plan how you are going to get to the interview and what time you need to leave home. Research the Company you are meeting with, know exactly what they do, what their products and services are.  Finally, you need to plan what questions you are going to ask at the interview, write them down if needed.

21. Tailor your CV

Many people make the mistake of sending the same generic CV to all different kinds of jobs.  This fundamental error can ruin your chances of securing an interview, so it’s vital to tailor your CV for the position you are applying for. Make sure your experience matches what the employer is looking for.

22. Look at Company websites 

Although job search engines are great as are Agencies sometimes you need to expand your search by looking at Company websites.  Create a list of large employers in your area, or Companies you would like to work for.  Spend five minutes a day searching their career section to see if there are any jobs which could suit you.

23. Read the news

By reading or listening to the news you’ll be up to speed with what’s happening in the business world.  Whose making redundancies and more importantly whose expanding, for instance this week Tesco announced they were recruiting 16,000 people to deal with the increase of online orders.  Always keep your nose to the ground.

24. Stay motivated

It’s easy to loose motivation while job searching,  If you have sent out 100+ applications and not received even a single acknowledgement it can get very demoralising.  However you must not give up, you have to keep going, if you don’t try – you definitely won’t get.

25. Keep track of your applications

Applying for a lot of jobs at the same time can be overwhelming and there a good chance you will forget what your applying for.  Make a list of your applications so you don’t apply twice for the same role and there is no panic when you get an interview, you will know what the job is all about.

26. Send a ‘thank you’ letter

If you are lucky enough to get an interview for a role, don’t leave it at that.  Make sure you are remembered.  Thank you letters are a great way of reiterating your interest in the position and showing your appreciation for the opportunity.

27. Develop responses to common interview questions

If you have been looking for a job for a long time you will know the sort of questions you are likely to be asked at interviews.  You should also know how to respond to them.  If you don’t do your research and perfect your answers so you don’t cave in under pressure.

28. Brush up your skills

Brushing up your skills is never a bad thing.  If you’ve been in a job for a long time,  or if you’ve been unemployed for a while it’s always a good idea to improve your skills if you can.  There are a lot of online courses available which will allow you to refresh your skills and give you that extra edge

29. Make sure you can get reference

It’s a good idea to have a list of references ready, including contact names, telephone numbers, email addresses etc  You could always ask your previous employer to provide you with a written reference which you could copy and take with you to an interview.  If getting a reference could be a problem it’s important that you look at how you could solve it.

30. Don’t take any old job

After a long job hunt you may have financially received an offer and out of desperation or excitement you want to accept if straight away without considering everything.  Resist the temptation to immediately accept just anything, carefully evaluate the pros and cons of this important decision.  The area’s you should seriously consider are A) Is the job right for you B) is the salary OK C) can you get work easily.  I know you really need a job but it’s important that it’s the right job.

Although job hunting may seem excruciating there is always light at the end of any tunnel.  If you put in the effort you will eventually reap the rewards.  Don’t give up.  Keep positive and above all keep trying.

Good Luck