Job Hunting After Lockdown.A helpful guide on how to navigate searching for a role in a changing world.

Job seeking made easier.There’s no denying that the pandemic has made it a difficulttime for job seekers, but with our handy tips, tricks andinsights, we can help find the perfect role for you.

It’s not all bad news.

Even though the majority of employers are facing the same challenges,there is still some good news out there, with some industries actuallyadvertising more job vacancies this year compared to 2019. It’s just acase of finding where the opportunities are, and seizing them where youcan. Our consultants have a wealth of knowledge and experience withinthe recruitment industry, and can offer guidance on what industries orroles might suit you best.

Remember why you wanted to change in the first place.

Think about all the reasons why, before the pandemic hit, you werelooking to change your role. Perhaps you wanted to increase yoursalary, access better benefits or maybe it was for the chance to bepromoted or receive better training. Whatever your reasons, theseissues aren’t likely to go away post-pandemic, and even though it maytake a lot more hard work and resilience, don’t miss out on anopportunity to take the next step in your career.

Where to start when searching for a new role.Writing your CV.

The first step to successful job searching is to always make sure your CV isup to date.

• CVs should be tailored to each role that you apply for, but first create ageneral CV that can easily be adapted when you are applying todifferent roles.

• The first part of your CV should always be a summary of yourexperience, and be tailored to include specific applicable experiencerelating to the job you’re applying for.

• Adding a skills section will capture an employer’s attention – use a briefbullet pointed list of the key skills and strengths you possess, to showemployers what you can offer.

• Finally, include your work history, using bullet points for responsibilitiesand achievements.

To find out more information on how to write a CV, visit our website here.

Review your digital footprint.

Now you have successfully updated your CV, it’s time to make sure thatyour online presence reflects the CV content.

• Review all of your social media accounts, such as LinkedIn, and makesure to summarise key points, including notable achievements andkey responsibilities, especially for recent roles.

• Follow up on endorsements. Showcasing these on your LinkedIn pagecan be powerful, and you shouldn’t shy away from asking managers,colleagues, or even clients, for them.

• Remember to also list any training that you have completed, and anyvolunteering you have been part of.

• The majority of employers will look at your social media presence togain an insight into what kind of employee you are, sometimesbefore even offering an interview, so make sure that your socialmedia accounts reflect your best professional self.

We have a detailed guide on reviewing your digital footprint, and how touse your social media to further your career, which you can find on ourwebsite here.

Get comfortable with selling yourself.

With less actual face-to-face interaction happening, and with morepeople than ever competing for jobs, it’s now absolutely crucial that youknow how to articulate and present yourself in the best possible way toemployers, whether it’s via your CV or in an interview. You will need to bevery clear on how you can add real value to a business, especially inthese challenging times. One way to focus on this is to think about thefollowing sentence, and fill in the gaps:

“I am a Professional [job title] who specialises in [area of expertise] inorder to help businesses to [achieve specific goals/objectives] and I doit by doing [tangible examples of experience].”

The more you understand where your key strengths (and weaknesses)lie, and the skills and experience you possess that can add value, theeasier it should be to answer any pre-interview or interview questions,and show potential employers just why they should hire you.

Preparing for interviews.

The rise of video interviews.

Some of you will already have experience with video interviewingsoftware, while others may only be familiar with the more traditionalface-to-face set up. One thing’s for certain though, video interviewing ishere to stay. So, now’s the time to embrace them!

Office Angels’ has it’s own digital interview & meeting software, with nodownloads, registrations, logins or passwords to contend with either.We’ll simply send you a link and you’re good to go. This means you cancomplete the video interview anywhere, anytime and on any device.

As well as arranging traditional one-on-one video interviews, we alsoencourage all of our candidates to complete an introductions video,which will not only help to bring your CV and experience to life, byshowcasing your personality, responsibilities and skills, but it will alsoenable you to get in front of as many potential employers as possible, asquickly as possible. We have already had great feedback from the clientswe’ve sent introduction videos to, and 75% of placements made usingour video interview software have included an introduction video fromthe candidate.

Preparing for a Video InterviewVideo interviewing was designed to make the screening process faster, but don’ttake shortcuts in your prep. Prepare answers for any and all eventualities, dobackground research on the company and compile some questions to ask theinterviewer.

On top, there are few additional considerations to factor in:

• Set up – test that your microphone, speakers and camera are working.• Connection - check your internet connection, close-down unnecessary

programs and web pages and make sure you aren’t downloading, installingor about to run updates.

• Surroundings - be mindful of your backdrop in terms of what’s in the frame.Consider your position and check your lighting.

• Where to look – look into your camera, rather than at the interviewer. This wayit’ll appear like you are looking at them.

• Do not disturb – unlike in a face-to-face interview, you’ll likely be at home oreven on your lunch break at work. It seems an obvious one but make surepeople around you know not to disturb you. Ideally, find a place where you feelcompletely at ease and where you can speak freely and comfortably withoutfear of interruptions or distractions.

• Appearance - just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you don’t need tolook the part. You should dress exactly as you would for an in-personinterview. Psychologically, you’ll feel more ready too.

• Stay focused – Because you’re not face-to-face, it can be easier to becomedistracted and do things you wouldn’t do in a face-to-face setting. Stayfocused throughout.

• Notes – avoid reading off notes. It’s okay to refer to notes but don’t try to besneaky about it. Equally, avoid taking excessive notes. And definitely do not tryto Google during the interview, no matter how subtle you think you’re being.

• Smile and engage – remember to smile, use positive and open bodylanguage, and allow your personality to shine.

Keeping your job search and mindset positive.Be open-minded.

The current situation has meant that the working world has changed,and it may mean that you will need to be more flexible when looking fora new role. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind working for a smaller company,or you can now consider slightly extended locations because thecompany offers remote working. Consider what you are willing tocompromise on and what is still important to your career goals, andadjust your job search accordingly. Make sure you also update yourconsultant so they don’t overlook you for a promising opportunity.

Use this time to upskill.

Sometimes it can be good to have a distraction whilst you search for yourperfect role, as it gives you something else to focus on. So why not use thetime you’re not spending on searching for a new role to learn somethingthat will make you even more employable? Whether it’s a specific type ofsoftware you’ve been meaning to check out, reading up on the latesttechnologies in digital marketing, or even brushing up on your HRknowledge, pick your area and put your research hat on. Speak to yourconsultant if you would like some more information on developmentalcourses that might interest you.

Reassess, reframe & look after your wellbeing.

If your job search is not going how you planned, now is not the time to behard on yourself. You will find your way, and eventually your dream role –it’s just going to take a little longer than you anticipated. Take baby stepsforward whenever you can, and celebrate the small victories, such aslearning new skills or making new contacts. Step away from the laptop orcomputer when you feel you can’t be forward thinking, and go for a walk orreach out to friends or family. Try to keep a positive mindset, as this willensure your mental wellbeing stays healthy, and remember to reach out toyour recruiter if you need to.

To find out more about how Office Angels can help you with your recruitment journey, contact your local office, or go to office-angels.com