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How to find your dream job in 2019

Kate Allen, Executive Chair and Marketing Director, Allen Associates

January is a busy time for recruitment – we know that the number of people searching for a job increases as people take the opportunity to re-examine their career path. We also know that although people are searching for new roles, the number of applications actually made between now and June is typically lower than the rest of the year.

This is good news for Candidates, so if you’re joining the job hunt in 2019, welcome! Finding the right role for you can be life-changing and that’s why we’re here to offer expert advice and help.

Build yourself a good online profile

When it comes to job hunting, it’s important to work on building a good personal brand online. Some experts have predicted the death of the paper CV, suggesting that LinkedIn profiles and video resumes will take over as the new application process. In reality, we’re a way away from this and having a paper CV remains a ‘must’ in 2019.

However, if you’re searching for your dream job, you need to make sure you can be found by those recruiters who are looking for people just like you. Recruiters actively use LinkedIn to find Candidates, so spend time on polishing your profile and keeping it up to date.

Think about using Twitter to connect with companies you’re interested in and show your enthusiasm for your subject by sharing or retweeting article links. If you have the time, it’s worth creating your own website or blog, too. This will not only help you stand out from the crowd, but it will create a good topic of conversation at interviews and is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and skills.

Start networking

It’s not as daunting as it sounds, networking can be a great way to meet like-minded individuals and gain an insight into the current job market. Try searching for professional, events, workshops and conferences which interest you and could lead to making new contacts. You never know who you might meet.

Make a list of people that you already know, for example, family members and former colleagues, and pinpoint those who may be able to help you with a job tip-off or introduction. Tapping into this ‘hidden’ job market may help you find a job before it’s advertised.

Brush up on your skillset

We’ve all experienced it – you see a job advert that you’d love to apply for, but you don’t match every bullet point in the description. If this happens to you, think about what you can do in order to beat the competition.

It could be that you book onto a course, do some volunteer work, or start searching for an opportunity to build up your experience – within a specific area- at your current job. All of this will help you when it comes to securing interviews and offers.

Make your applications unique

If it’s your dream job, it’s worth spending time on. If you’ve been job hunting for a while, use the new year as an excuse to look at your CV with fresh eyes and make changes.

We know that it’s important to tailor your CV and cover letter to each application, demonstrating why you’re right for the role and showing that you’ve understood what Employers are looking for. It can be labour intensive, but you should avoid sending the same CV and cover letter to multiple job adverts.

Finally, think about what makes you unique. Everyone has a story, look at where you started in your career, what you’ve learnt and what your goals for the future are. Your experience, your passions and your dreams make you unique so share this!

Do you know what your dream job is?

It sounds simple, but to get to your dream job you need to know what that is in the first place. If you have a goal in mind, why not sit down and plan some simple steps to help you get there?

But if you’re still unsure about this question, try thinking about your current role – what do you like about it and what would you change? Think about your strengths as a person and whether you’re using these in your job at the moment.

It might be that your dream job is a step up the career ladder, or it could be a role in a completely different field. Think big and think outside the box – whatever you decide will determine your job search and ultimately your future career.

Over the last 20 years, we have grown as a business to become one of the leading independent Recruitment agencies in Oxfordshire, and in 2018 have opened our first London office, to service Clients in the capital.

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