New year, new job? Top tips for finding a new job in 2022.
From Dry Jan to Veganuary, lots of us take on New Year’s resolutions to become fitter, smarter, or generally better versions of ourselves in January — and for many of us that includes finding a new job.
Whether you’re after your dream job, a complete career change, or you just want to climb the next rung of the ladder. Lots of other candidates will have had exactly the same idea as you, so it’s important to try your best to stand out. Here’s our advice for finding a new job in 2022.
Put some oomph into your CV
No one likes writing CVs and, to be honest, few people enjoy having to read hundreds of them in order to shortlist candidates either. Sadly, your CV is one of your most important assets and likely the key to finding your next job. So, put some effort into it!
Consider the fact that rather than tweaking the same CV you’ve had for the last 10 years, it may be better to start afresh. Remember when talking about your employment history, highlight your biggest successes from each role. Find more info on perfecting your CV here.
Once you’ve perfected your CV it’s time to look at LinkedIn. The work-focused social media platform continues to assert its dominance as one of the best ways to find new job opportunities. What’s great about LinkedIn is that in addition to having a traditional job board, it allows you to e-network, which will enable you to seek out opportunities from employers and recruiters who aren’t on places like Indeed yet.
Update your profile picture and details and try to become more active on the site in general. If your current employer posts often, be sure to engage with their activity and start to claim ownership for projects you lead — by saying “It was a pleasure to work on our new product launch” when sharing a post, or something similar, you actively demonstrate to recruiters your experience.
Google yourself
Now you’ve got LinkedIn in order, take a more macro view of your online presence. Nobody wants to admit to Googling themselves, but it’s important to do so when looking for a job, because employers are going to look there.
You don’t need to go completely off-grid but have a glance over the first few pages and check if there’s anything you wouldn’t want an employer to see. Things like moaning about your job on Twitter are going to go down badly, so set yourself to private on any platform that doesn’t scream professionalism. Remember to do an audit of your display pictures, as these are still visible on most platforms even if your account is private.
Prepare and practice for online interviews
Yes, we’re all bored of talking about how the pandemic altered the way we work. But the fact of the matter is you’re probably going to need to get used to virtual interviews, at least for the first rounds. So, get practising.
Start by working out where the best place in your home is for an online interview. You need to consider things like light, glare from windows, and most importantly where your internet connection is best so you don’t drop out halfway through. You may want to purchase a cheap ethernet cable and adaptor so you can connect your computer directly to your hub.
Once you have your space set up, record yourself speaking to the camera and review it. We know everyone hates having to listen back to their voice, but it’s important to do this initial scrutiny just to see how you come across, if you don’t already know.
Looking for more job advice?
The candidate section of our website is full of helpful resources and job search tips. Click here.