Looking for a new job can be a nerve-wracking experience and you need energy, grit and commitment to see it through. So, to help you focus your efforts and give you the best chance of success, we’ve compiled a list of the best job hunting tips.
With this guide, you could be on your way to finding your ideal role in next to no time. Plus, according to a study by LinkedIn, engineering roles are some of the most in-demand jobs in 2022. So, to stay ahead of the competition, what are the steps you should take to find a new job?
Polish Up Your Online Presence
First off, it’s important to update your CV and your online presence. Most employers will search for you online, but they may also ask for your CV. So, what can you do to impress them?
Update Your LinkedIn Profile
Here are a few ways to make your LinkedIn profile stand out:
Tell Your Story: Use the summary section of your LinkedIn page to describe your professional story. Don’t be afraid to include your aims, ambitions, what you’ve achieved and any areas of your profession you’re passionate about.
Ask For Recommendations: Adding some glowing feedback to your LinkedIn profile from ex-colleagues goes a very long way to impressing prospective employers.
Create a Great Headline: Your headline needs to tell employers what you do. So, make sure to include the relevant words they’ll be looking for.
Update Your CV
Dust off your CV and update it with your latest role. You may also find that you need to condense a few sections to accommodate this. Don’t be afraid to remove out of date information that may no longer be useful to share.
Get Prepared for Video Cover Letters
In a report from LinkedIn, more than 75% of hiring managers believe it’s useful to have a pre-recorded video from candidates as part of their selection process. And over 40% of job seekers have been using pre-recorded videos to help them stand out during the recruitment process. So it’s well worth getting your presentation skills in shape.
Determine Your Goals
When starting your job search, it can help to have a clear set of aims. Some questions you may want to ask yourself include:
What's the most important thing you want from your next job?
Are you prepared to relocate?
Do you want to manage or supervise others?
How much autonomy or collaboration with others do you want?
List the Types of Companies You Want to Work For
When you’re looking for a new job, it can help to determine the types of companies you want to work for. Do some research and create a list of your ideal workplaces. And even if you can’t secure an interview with these specific companies, making a list will help you focus on finding the right organisation.
Be Clear on Your Skills
Having an awareness of your technical and soft skills is an important part of the job search. Plus, you’ll need to highlight these in your applications and interviews.
Salary Expectations
Hiring managers do ask candidates what their salary expectations are. And if you’re not clear on this, you could undercut yourself. So, decide on the maximum and minimum salary you’d accept. Then if you’re asked in the interview, you can share your salary range without being too specific.
Use a Recruitment Agency
Using a recruitment agency is the best way to look for a job in 2022. Why? Well, because they live and breathe the jobs market every day. Plus, they’re working hard to match up candidates with roles. And when they know more about you and what you’re looking for, they may well have the perfect opportunity. If you're looking for a career in engineering, using a specialist engineering recruitment agency is highly beneficial because they operate solely in that industry and will have close working relationships with companies you may be aspiring to work for.
Other benefits of working with a recruitment agency include:
Fast turnaround times
Specialist knowledge
Access to jobs you couldn't find elsewhere
Hard-working and helpful consultants
Research Companies
Another of our job hunting tips for 2022 is to do your research on the companies you’d like to work for.
Search Company Websites
Once you’ve compiled a list of ideal companies, take some time to review their company websites. It’s also worth reviewing their social media handles for insights on what it could be like to worth for the company.
Try Networking
Networking can seem intimidating. But another report by LinkedIn suggests networking is linked to 80% of secured jobs. And networking doesn’t have to only mean putting yourself out there at industry conferences or events. It can also come in the form of referrals from colleagues, recommendations from friends and even through applying for jobs on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is the ultimate social network for employers and employees. And it’s a great way to get found during your job search.
To get approached more often, think of your LinkedIn page as your personal website. Make sure to turn on your status as ‘actively seeking roles’, which you can hide from your employers.
Also, make sure your profile includes your search keyword in the title and the body of the text. For example, if you want a job as a design engineer, make sure you use the keyword ‘design engineer’ in your profile headline and your summary description.
Use Job Boards
Job boards are reliable, tried-and-tested ways to look for work. So, consider reviewing a jobs board to see what could be available.
But remember, as many as 80% of jobs don’t get advertised. And often, hiring managers only share them with specific recruitment agencies and consultants.
Looking for a new job can be overwhelming, stressful and challenging. But when you find the perfect company to work for, it can be well worth the effort. At Metalis, we recommend using a recruitment agency to support your job search. Of course, you’ll need to do some work too, like updating your online profile and CV, and researching companies.
But when you use Metalis to look for a new job, you get high-quality service and access to some fantastic engineering and manufacturing roles. So, contact us today for help with your job search.
