Jobseekers –Get Ahead of the Game and Stand out in 2021

rnJanuary is usually that time of year when many people reflect on where they are in their careers and start thinking about what to do in the New Year. 2020 has been a very different year for many and the impact of Covid-19 has had a profound impact on the employment and labour market around the world. Career plans have been temporarily put-on hold while many are looking at new paths and opportunities. Some people may not feel motivated to look for new opportunities at the moment, but we would encourage the opposite. Even during the festive season, we have had many exciting new roles coming through. The market may be competitive but it is certainly not quiet and we at Greys Recruitment have noticed a surge in new jobs from our clients in preparation for 2021. We have composed the following tips to get you ready. rnMany people have been using the current period of uncertainty as an opportunity to invest in themselves by upskilling or reskilling in order to become future ready. Why not consider what you can do in 2021 to make yourself more employable? There are many ways to build your skillset, both formally and informally. You could take short courses, continue studying, get some volunteer experience, do an internship or find a mentor in your choses field to help advise you. It doesn’t need to be expensive and you are never too old or young to learn something new. From learning to get the best out of Microsoft Outlook, improving your everyday maths, presenting your work with impact, graphic design, coding in Python to the fundamentals of digital marketing, there are a number of resources that are free or inexpensive. Many of these short courses can be taken on a flexible basis around your other commitments At Greys Recruitment, our goal is to provide the very best people for our clients. We want to see candidates who are motivated, take initiative and go the extra mile. GETTING SOCIAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA Social media continues to develop as a recruitment tool and provide and increasingly important professional networking platform. LinkedIn for example has grown to be one of the largest platforms for job seekers, employers, and recruiters from around the world. Make sure to do an online audit of yourself and clean up ALL of your online profiles. Try give your name a google to check your digital footprint. Remember that recruiters and employers DO look at your social media activity in order to gauge who you are as a person. rnAlso consider your privacy settings and who can see your profile. Social media usage is a huge part of your personal brand and an excellent way to showcase your skills and passions which can help you get noticed by employers. rnHave you considered blogging or starting your own website? Try build relationship with as many people on as well as offline. Covid-19 has led to less personal interaction but never underestimate the links you can make online. You never know what opportunities might come out of a friendly interaction or engaging with someone’s online content. Be inquisitive and ask questions. People are often more open and receptive to conversation than you think. Having a good professional network can help you open yourself up to the right opportunities. Make sure that you are also connected with all the people you share or have shared a professional relationship with. Your resume is one of the most important tools that can be initially used to showcase your expertise and skills to recruiters and employers. Think of it as a working document that needs to be update regularly in order to highlight your achievements.rnWe would recommend creating a few versions of your CV which you can easily adapt depending on the job and sector that you are applying for. If you need some help with the format of your CV, Microsoft Word has a Resume Assistant feature that can help you get your CV looking sharp. First impressions make a difference and recruiters do notice spelling mistakes and how much effort you put into selling yourself. The same goes for your cover letter. You should make sure it is tailored to a role and the person you are writing to needs to understand why they should hire you instead of someone else. BE PREPARED Sometimes things can move faster than expected and your ability to react quickly will put you ahead of the competition. Along with having a few versions of your CV and cover letter ready to go, think about the other things that may be needed. If you are asked to do a video interview tomorrow, would you have the right set up or be available to access the technology? It is Greys Recruitment’s policy to request references before placing any staff. Do you have good references and their most recent contact details so that we can get in touch easily? It is very important to have these on hand and of course having spoken to your referee fist. Perhaps you haven’t done an interview in a while? Practice in front of a friend, family member or even a mirror. It is good to ask for constructive feedback from others in order to work out how to best ‘pitch’ yourself. There is nothing worse than coming out of an interview having forgotten to tell the interviewer key information. Being prepared will help you feel more confident and prevent any potential slip ups in an otherwise stressful situation. ACT NOW! With a new year comes new opportunities. This is your chance to get ahead of the curve and ensure you are in the very best position to stand out and be ready for what 2021 has to offer. rnRooted firmly in the solid foundation of the Measured Ability Group of Companies, Greys Recruitment has been trusted as an industry leader in the permanent recruitment sector for over 40 years. If you are looking for a new role please visit our jobseeker page and upload your C.V to our nationwide database. Should a potential job offer open, and you are considered, we will contact you! Looking for staff? Let our expert team of consultants find you the perfect candidate. Please visit our employer page and tell us what you are looking for!