Seven lesser known job hunting tips!

If 2024 is the year that you are looking for a new job, then this is the blog for you. As a Career and Return to Work Coach, I frequently work with clients looking for their next career step; the Dad returning to work after a career break, the Mum seeking an opportunity to develop their skills, or the person looking for their next job due to redundancy. All of these people come to me with the same wish; to be confident in their skills, and able to intentionally find the next opportunity to support their career and balance needs. After all, I work with you to create a career to enjoy! With all that in mind, I wanted to with you some job-hunting tips, some of which you may not have considered whilst you are activating your job alerts and updating your CV.

 

Here are the 7 lesser-known job-hunting tips from your resident Career Coach! 

 

Get clear on your “Why?”. 

Your first answer to this question is only the beginning of the reality. We all have needs when it comes to work; income, hours and workplace as the three frequent non-negotiables when I work with clients. But, once you have those, start to dig a bit deeper. It is about more financial independence, feeling valued or challenged, leaving an unsupportive culture or needing a new start. One way of working out your wants or needs is to ask yourself “And what else”, to get those honest answers flowing! 

 

Get confident with your HOW.

The biggest issue I see when working with clients on their career and CV is it’s often filled with the “What” of a job. What I mean by that is a list of duties that you undertook in your previous roles. Being able to identify alternative career opportunities, and then successfully highlighting them to others, is knowing your HOW. What was it about your skills, experience, knowledge, qualifications and behaviour that made you successful in the role? 

 

Find your blind spots!

The thing that makes you so impactful in your role, and often the thing that will get you where you want to be next, is the things you don’t actually notice about yourself. It’s the things that you find easy and enjoyable that will help bridge any experience gaps, and help you take more control of the career path. One way to discover that is by working with a Coach like me, who uses many years of experience to uncover this in our work. Another way is asking the people around you “What do you notice about me when I’m working at my best?” and also “What do I do that helps you do your job better”? The answers are the key to uncovering those blind spots. 

 

Develop your network- don’t be shy.

Now, how public you can be about your job search plans with vary from person to person. However, EVERYONE can consider who they have around them when they are looking. Reports vary on specific figures, but the consensus is that most roles aren’t advertised. Therefore, word of mouth and recommendations play a large part in finding the next roles for you. Consider who you need to tell about your job search, and how well can you define what you are looking for. Then who do you need to tell that you are looking for a new role? Having a skills-based CV that opens with a few lines about the type of work you are looking for can help those around you support you! 

 

Understand it is a two-way process. 

It is OK to be curious about a role and use the interview process to uncover the information you need about the position, culture, and team! Far too many people believe that the power lies with the hiring company; however, each organisation should use an interview to help applicants understand how they will fit into the team and the needs of the role. Entering the job searching process with an open mind can reduce the stress associated with the pressure to perform. You can and should always say “no” if you don’t feel it’s the right choice for you, and compromises can’t be made. 

 

Get comfortable with rejection! 

It’s tough, but you will get rejected from the roles you apply for. You may not make it past the CV/Application stage, or they may take you to the final stage, to discover they have gone in another direction. It may feel personal, but it’s not. Job searching is a numbers game, but you need to only find one job. Knowing that this is part of a filtering process for both you and them can help soften the blow. Building some self-reflection into the process can help you. Ask yourself questions like, where were my gaps, what worked and what I’d like to keep doing can support this. 

 

Build in self-care and support.

Looking for your next or new job takes bravery; whatever way you look at it you are opening yourself up to judgment and potential criticism. This can feel rawer if you are looking for a new role because of redundancy. So, make sure you are building in ways to support yourself. This could look like tech-free time to keep you away from your screen (and emails), creative practice to help remind you, that you ARE more than work, and time with friends and family to have fun!

 

So, there you have it, seven lesser-known job-hunting tips from your resident Career and Return to Work Coach (that’s me, by the way!) If you are on the job-seeking path right now, I hope this has helped. If you are looking for some extra support, then check out my other career and return work blogs, covering everything from values to CVs and video interviews. 

 

If you are looking for more 1:1 support, reach out to find out how I can help. My individual support starts from £150 for the Fast and Focused Package, to £450 for the six-session coaching package. Find out more here, or book a call for us to talk more.