Showing posts tagged with: career change
LinkedIn is undoubtably the number one online social networking site in the world. It is not industry specific, and with its global reach there is nearly no end to the potential connections you can make. In an ongoing climate of uncertainty with to face to face meetings, a booming global jobs market, and virtual networking it has become invaluable.
Here’s some of our top reasons you should be using it, whether you are actively looking for work, wanting to learn more about your industry, or progress in your current position.
Share and Learn With Your Peers
Not only is LinkedIn a great place to network, it is a great source of information. You can find articles written by some of the top thought leaders in industries around the world and join groups related to your work to learn and share. Reading articles and asking questions can be a really easy way to keep up to date with the latest trends in, and related to, your industry. Another great new addition to LinkedIn are the skill assessments you can take to earn a certificate to add to your profile to show your proficiency. For a full list click here.
Ready Made CV
LinkedIn can work for you as a CV or resume template. There are, however, pros and cons to this. Filling in your LinkedIn profile is a simple enough process but it can be fairly time consuming. There are a lot of sections and you need to fill them all in in order to have a chance at being found. When you've done this though, you'll have a personal statement, basis for a cover letter and a full list of your job history, experience, and skills all completed and easily updated. To further this, you can get involved with conversations on industry topics and post your own thoughts and articles to show your interests inside and outside your profession. In need of some inspiration? Check out some examples of great linked in profiles hereA Good LinkedIn Profile Gives You A Headstart
On your marks, get set, GO!
Even if you aren't actively looking for a new job or promotion, when you keep your profile updated with new skills or recommendations. These can come from employers and co-workers you are keeping yourself ready for any sudden changes or opportunities that come your way. With a reach spanning approximately 200 countries, you can keep your online CV in top condition discretely while keeping yourself open to opportunities should the right one come along.
It's not just useful for jobseekers, as an employer you can easily make long term connections and reach out to promising talent as you discover it.
Just starting out? Here's some more tips on how to use Linked In to get a job.
But wait ...
... A Word of Warning
Hopefully this article has given you a few pointers to either start your LinkedIn profile or to think about polishing it up. Some things you need to consider are:- Make sure you remember it is a social networking site. So remember your employers past, present and future could see it.
- Any links to other social sites should be treated with caution too.
- There are pros and cons as there to any online profile, so make sure you do your research and respect the security of own and other people's information.
Do you have itchy feet? Maybe you are looking for new opportunities in a market with more room for growth? Or are you simply dreaming of sunnier climes? With global travel becoming increasingly accessible again, and countries once more welcoming visas and immigration, there's no time like now to start looking for your next job abroad. Before you embark on your next adventure, you need to make sure you CV is up to scratch. Read on for three simple tips to optimise your CV for international job search.
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Always Write A Personal Statement
Some things never change. From our experience, all countries look favourably on a personal statement. Whether it’s explicitly asked for or not, it is a great way to showcase you personality, achievements, and ambitions as well as a way to expand on your previous experience. Your full job history may not fit on two pages of your CV* so a well-written personal statement gives you a great opportunity to sum up what makes you the best fit for this role. *Bonus tip: some countries even prefer a one-page CV, and others permit three!Do I Need A Photo For My International Job Search?
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Do Your Research
This shouldn't be news to any seasoned job seeker but ALWAYS DO YOUR RESEARCH. Find out about the company, the company culture, the country's working culture, whether a photo is expected, or frowned upon, what personal information should be included. Treat this like your first CV and make sure you double-check everything. Carrying out research on new countries is easier now than ever before. You can join international jobs Facebook groups and connect with people who live there, or even connect with employees at the company via Linked In. Make sure to get a native speaker to read your CV, especially if you are writing in another language.
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Checklist For Success In Your International Job Search
Just like any job search in your home country, it is vital to understand the CV norms and expectations. You can unwittingly exclude yourself from consideration for a role without even having your CV read to the end. In summary, here's our checklist for success:- There is no universal template
- Find out about any local or national cultural norms
- Check out Linked In
- And don’t forget the usual tips on How to Make Your Job Application Stand Out
When it comes to updating or writing your CV, it can feel like a huge challenge. The jobs market is an ever increasingly fast-paced place, and jobs trends can change month on month with the market which means that CVs change too.
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Employers are looking for someone special and as more people gain qualifications, more types of jobs open up and digital jobs continue to boom, it is important to keep on top of things! Time for a spring clean of your CV? Here’s 5 things you MUST include in 2022Talk About WFH Experience
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While the debate still rages over the benefits, or not, of remote working, there is no doubt that flexible working and the virtual office is here to stay. If you have experiences to share about successful and productive then talk about it! Make sure you sell yourself as a self-motivated worker, productive, proactive and working under your own initiative.Highlight Results over Responsibilities
This is one of the most common things people do in their employment history. It’s not a mistake to talk about responsibilities but if you fail to mention the results and achievements you made then it is a wasted opportunity! Don't feel as though you need to remove the word ’responsibility’ from your CV vocabulary, just make sure to follow it up with what you did with that responsibility. For example:
"I was responsible for monitoring digital campaigns through the use of strategic reporting. As part of this process, I was able to identify new opportunities which emerged, increasing our client retention by XXX % in 2020"
Create a Compelling and Relevant Introduction
This is a tip on every CV advice list but it is always worth repeating. It is too easy to get complacent with your personal profile and CV intro, especially if you are applying for a lot of similar jobs. Do:- Check your introduction for each CV you send
- Use keywords from the job description
- Confirm you have the essential skills required from the role.
Writing Your CV for ATS
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Many big companies now are using applicant tracker systems to whittle down large numbers of applicants. There are a few simple things you can do to make sure you make it through the first scan. As we have mentioned in the section above, identifying and using keywords from the job description throughout your CV (think skills, qualifications, experience) will be a big help in the ATS recognising your document as belonging to a viable candidate. Avoid ‘overdesigning’ your CV with fancy fonts and borders as these can confused the ATS search functions. Check here for acceptable fonts and more tips!Address any COVID Downtime
This is inevitable. Most people will have experienced either working from home, a period of furlough or even redundancy during the recent pandemic. This is an ongoing part of life for many and has affected the career prospects of hundreds of thousands of people. You are not alone in this. Think about what you did with your time during lockdown. Don't be afraid to get creative with writing it up! Gaining qualifications, reassessing your priorities and even taking part in sports challenges can teach you beneficial and transferrable skills, so let your prospective employer know about it.Writing Your CV Doesn’t Have To Take Forever
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It always seems like a daunting process, but not updating your CV will just mean your hours spent sending CVs out will be wasted. Keep it simple, keep it relevant and don’t be afraid to state proudly what you can do and why. Digital jobs can take you all round the world and offer some of the best flexible opportunities. The digital world has with room for more growth than many other industries. If you’d like to hear more, and see where your CV can take you, get in touch today! We’d love to hear from you.
All job interviews can help you to grow. Even if you didn’t get the job, you can still turn the experience into a valuable lesson. You just need to listen to the feedback you get from the employer or recruitment agency about your performance and skills. Here are five ways you can learn from every job interview going forward.
1. How To Learn From Job Interview Feedback: Don’t Be Nervous To Ask For Feedback
Job interviews can be a little stressful, but try not to be too nervous to ask for feedback. This is because some job interviewers are very busy, so they may not think to give you any feedback at the end of the interview. Simply ask politely if they would like to give you any feedback about the interview, and if they say yes listen carefully. Don’t be defensive; instead, try to take the feedback on board, even if you don’t totally agree with it!2. Speak To Your Recruitment Agency
Are you working with a recruitment agency (such as ours) to increase the number of job interviews you are being offered? If so, speak to your agency to find out if they can give you any feedback for future interviews. This could be general interview advice, or they could have specific skills based advice for you. For instance, they may suggest that you rearrange your CV to prioritise certain skills.3. Understand That Feedback Can Be Constructive
Some people dislike receiving feedback as they feel like they are being criticised, but in reality feedback is an important tool that can help you to grow. After all, there is a reason the phrase ‘constructive criticism’ exists! If you struggle to receive feedback, remind yourself that there is no reason to take it personally. The other person is taking time out of their day to give you advice and tips, and if you take the advice you are more likely to ace an interview in the future. So try to listen, even if you do feel a little miffed.4. Give Yourself Feedback
You don’t have to exclusively rely on recruiters and interviewers to give you feedback; you can also give yourself feedback. Spend some time reflecting after a job interview. Ask yourself which questions you answered well and which questions could have been answered better, and think about what you would do differently next time.5. Write Down Areas To Work On
Finally it can be useful to write down certain areas that you want to work on. Maybe there is a short course that you could do to improve a certain skill, or maybe you would like to work on your confidence. Spending time addressing your weaker areas is a great way to improve your overall performance, so you are more likely to land your dream job interview in the future. Good luck!
Job interviews can be pretty stressful, especially if it has been a while since you’ve had an interview. You might be worried about saying the wrong thing, or maybe you’re worried you don’t have the necessary qualifications for the role. Either way, you’re not alone; a recent study found that over 90% of people feel nervous before a job interview. Thankfully it is possible to ace the interview and get the job; you just need to have the right mindset. Here are four tips to help you reduce your stress levels before a job interview.