Now that you have stopped mulling over the prospect of making a career move, or simply just threatening to get a new job, the time has come to put your thoughts into action.
It may be daunting to some, tedious to others and downright stressful for a lot of us. But that’s what Datafin is here for. To ease the challenges (and sometimes horrors) of the employment process in your pursuit of attaining your dream career.
Here are some useful tips we have put together to make the recruitment journey less painful and more rewarding:
Mental Prep
Once you commit to change jobs you need to be mentally prepared that it may take some time before we manage to secure you with the most suitable position.
Compiling/Updating your CV
CVs need to be factual to the tee and have your most current jobs and contact details. But there should also be a hint of the type of employee you want the boss to perceive you as. This initial intro to you is often key to whether the company will view you as the right culture fit.
Two Minutes
That’s the typical time it takes for your CV to be reviewed so always keep this in mind when it comes to the document length. We do however suggest including as much detail as possible.
Marketing Tool
Your skills, your experience, a little bit of your persona and even what you’re aspiring to for future career goals are all crucial aspects of your CV to help market you to a prospective employer. It is also what Datafin uses to pique their interest to secure you an interview.
Visual Appeal
We’re not saying your CV needs to look like a work of art but there are things you can do to make it easier on the eye. Bullet points are generally more appreciated rather than longer paragraphs. If you are placing a photograph of yourself, ensure it’s a more professional look and not your beer binging, champagne quaffing on the beach pic you would post on Instagram. And please refrain from using uppercase sentences. All capped wording makes for difficult reading and has become generally associated in social media conversing as shouting.
Accuracy & Order
Dates must be correct and keep in mind that if another person picks up your CV, what they see needs to make sense, especially unexplained gaps when you were perhaps unemployed or taking a sabbatical. Also ensure that your work experience is listed in chronological order from your latest to your oldest job.
Your reason for leaving
Think long and hard about what prompted or drove you to decide to start looking for a new job opportunity. Is it for career growth which your current company can’t offer you? Or perhaps because you felt you’re becoming stagnant in your position or have been with the company for so many years and simply want a change of scenery and fresh working environment. It may be that your company is being restructured or you are going through the unfortunate process of being retrenched. Or it could simply be that your boss is a nightmare! Let’s face it, if your manager doesn’t believe in your abilities or support you, then how can you thrive and progress up the ladder.
What type of role you really want
After figuring out why you want out of your existing job, you need to have a clear idea of what type of position you would like to move onto next. It could range from a more technical role, a specific language you would love to specialise in or more of a managerial role. You do however, also need to leave some room for flexibility as job titles could often sound wrong to you, but the recruitment consultant will have more insight as to connecting you with the most suited position.
Put yourself out there
It is crucial to get your CV registered with online job portals. This requires some time and effort, but this is where recruiters can find you and if you are thorough the first time, ensuring all your details are there, then it boosts your chances to be called for what could be the potential dream opportunity you have been wishing for. Also create job alerts and ensure all your networking social media platforms are updated, for example LinkedIn.
Avail Yourself
If we can’t reach you then we can’t make dreams happen. When we call or email you and you are unable to chat or respond at that moment, please get back to us. Especially when we are trying to arrange an interview for you. Often your Gmail or another personal address is listed on your CV rather than your work email. So, if you seriously want a new job then you need to be more consciously aware of who’s trying to get hold of you and monitor your inbox.
Apply or Contact us
You can now also start applying for roles on Datafin’s website, send us your CV or alternatively give us a call if we haven’t found you. But before you click or call, please be cautious to read through job ads properly. You can also feel free to ask our Consultants for advice if you feel you qualify for the job but still have some uncertainty. Think of us as your personal dream catcher, always willing to go the extra mile to match the right dream job to you.