Career hacks for a brilliant 2018

Don’t tell us. Your inbox is stuffed full of emails talking about life hacks, career wins and ways to create a more positive you? Well, hopefully here at Ten2Two, our part-time and flexible recruitment agency can be your number one stop for a better working year ahead.

Career hacks to a better working new year

 

Here’s what else you can do to find your career win in 2018…

1. Set your mind to what you want

Know what you’re looking for in terms of a new role before you start a conversation with potential employers. For example, is a local role more important to you than a bigger salary and a longer commute? Do you want three days or could you stretch to four? If you’re sure of what you want, you’ll come across as confident and ready to hit the ground running. This will help send your CV to the top of the recruitment pile!

2. Get your CV in shape

It’s an obvious one, but it’s so important to re-read and refresh your CV. You might want to tailor it for individual roles. So, for example, if you’re looking at an administration role, think about tweaking the skills section within your last couple of roles to lean heavily on your organisational and administrative abilities.

3. Build your LinkedIn profile

This useful social media site for career professionals cannot be rated more highly enough in our book. Dust off your LinkedIn profile and give it a refresh – any changes you make will help your profile to show up in new searches made by employers. Think about updating your photo, adding new skills and ask old colleagues for recommendations that employers can see on your profile page.

4. Did we mention LinkedIn?

Like any social media site, the more you put out there, the more you get back. If your name pops up more often on other people’s feeds, you’ll be more front of mind when it comes to recruitment. Update your status, follow companies you’re interested in, connect with ex-colleagues and comment on people’s statuses.

5. Follow companies you like

As well as following companies on LinkedIn, you should visit the careers section on their websites and register to receive job search updates where possible. The larger corporates will offer this service. Keep up with local companies by following their social media feeds but bear in mind that not all of them will be on Facebook or LinkedIn.

6. Keep communication clear and direct

You can contact companies directly with a covering letter and CV – if you get a named email address, so much the better. Don’t forget to use a clear subject line and work on your introductory line – it’s the first line an employer reads before scanning the email. Get it wrong and you’ll go straight to delete. No waffle allowed!

7. Check out local jobs boards

Certain jobs boards will be more useful than others – but be warned, as few as 6.2% of advertised roles mention flexibility. Some sectors have dedicated websites for finding roles which you’ll know about. And while national jobs boards can be useful, do beware of handing over your CV as phishing scams have been reported by candidates who have uploaded their personal details online.

8. Register with recruitment companies

Not all recruiters are created equally – some will have more stringent screening processes than others. A professional recruiter will seek to get to know you so they can match the right people to the right job.  At Ten2Two, we offer free events (not just career hacks!), to help our Members find their ideal job role – such as networking events and interview workshops in your local area. Keep in touch regularly so recruiters know you’re still looking and are firmly on their radars.

If you’re seeking fresh career hacks that get your job search on track, get in touch today. Register on our website today and we’ll be happy to help. In the meantime, we wish you every success with your career – here’s to a brilliant year ahead.