The Mirror has teamed up with the National Careers Service to come up with ways of kick starting your jobsearch for the New Year.
With more employers planning to take on staff over the next three months, this is a great time to get yourself ready to meet their needs.
UnemployedNet has a range of information to help fulfil the tips below, but in addition to these eight we also recommend that you:
- build your confidence - to come back from the rejection all jobseekers experience you need to stay confident, and our articles and exercises will help you do just that. You can keep a blog on UnemployedNet's MyHomepage if you are a registered user; keeping track of your feelings on how your jobsearch is going can help you get more confident and you can help other jobseekers by sharing your experience on site
- look at your social media - you may have had a good Christmas and New Year, but a prospective employer may be put off by your Facebook pictures and they sometimes check. Use LinkedIn to connect with potential employers and update your profile as regularly as you do your CV
'Need some inspiration to kick-start your job search? We’ve teamed up with the National Careers Service to bring you eight top tips to help you to land the job you want.
1 Take stock: A critical review of your skills and experience will remind you what you have to offer but might also highlight gaps you can fill with voluntary work or further study.
2 Get into a routine: Fear of failure or rejection can get in the way, while putting things off until tomorrow can help fear to grow. Spend just 10 minutes doing something related to finding work and build on this each day.
3 Keep focused: Have a clear idea of the type of jobs you want to apply for and send out as many well-thought-through applications as you can. This will keep you focused on how to talk about the skills and experiences employers want.
4 Look for hidden vacancies: A high percentage of job vacancies are not formally advertised. Some employers only recruit from their websites. If they do not have a careers section, look for a contact us page and ask how they recruit. Smaller employers may rely on recommendations, so network.
5 Think about your CV from the employer’s perspective: tailoring yours to each job is vital to convince employers you have the skills and passion they are looking for.
6 Add examples: Rather than writing about excellent communication skills, highlight which specific skills you have developed, for example listening or negotiating.
7 Learn from experience: Ask for feedback after interviews. Find out if there is a convenient date to get back in touch. Steer away from why you were not successful and focus on what went well. But ask about the things you could have done better, too.
8 Keep motivated: Fewer vacancies and higher numbers of applicants can mean it takes longer to find work. Keeping a daily progress record will help.'