Careers and Jobs

There is much talk about social media networking and tools like linkedin. Much of this is geared towards jobseekers and how they can use the tool to effectively seek out and secure employment. There are many that doubt the effectiveness and I feel that they need to see to believe. Well here you go ….. This example if of one jobseeker who had blind faith. This jobseekers believed so that you all can see ……

Linkedin helps one jobseeker find work ……

Please note – Linkedin is another effective tool for job hunting BUT unlike reactive jobseeking strategies you need to put in some hard work. More you put in the more you get out ….

Need help with Linkedin – How to improve your Linkedin

Linkedin Linkedin Linkedin – Great way to network!!

Let’s face it any jobseeker relying on reactive job hunting strategies will struggle in this job market. Jobseekers need to take a proactive approach as this will help them access the hidden job market.

Linkedin is a social media networking tool becoming very popular with jobseekers. Well I will let you into a secret — I know of one leading MNC who are no longer using recruitment agencies and are trying to phase out job boards. They are training their recruiters to source candidates through social media networking tools like linkedin, facebook and twitter.

Are you a jobseeker?

Do you have a linkedin profile?

If you need help with setting your profile up check out Paul Mullan Linkedin profile.

For more reasons why you should use linkedin visit linkedin for job hunting in ireland.

CAREER COACHING, OUTPLACEMENT, INTERVIEW & CV WRITING SERVICES IRELAND

In tough times people quite often turn to self help books for inspiration and support. This multimillion dollar industry is preying on the vulnerable and quite often churning out the same stuff under a new revolutionary formula. Most of the readers are looking for quick fix and easy solution BUT in reality there are no easy solutions. Ask any successful person and they will tell you this – “the harder I work the luckier I get”. I recall a book I read some years back which did make sense but on further analysis it was nothing different than that which my mother had drilled into me throughout my youth. Below I have outlined some her classic advice …. and it is not write a CV or prepare for Interviews …..

Nobody likes a misery guts – Sulking and complaining never won any friends. Are you complaining? Are you blaming? Has it assisted your job hunting? I understand that job hunting in a tough market is difficult particularly for those out of work. However negativity will not bring anything to the table. People don’t like to hear it will actually switch off or worse avoid you all together. More importantly negativity will drain your own energy. If you are out of work and struggling to find employment or if you are seeking a career change without success – complaining or blaming won’t assist in any way.

Smarten yourself up – When this was said to me it was about physical appearance but for the purpose of this piece I mean how you market yourself. Ensure that your CV and cover letter are sharp. Ensure that they make the right impact. CV Writing Service in Ireland.

You need to work harder – We have all heard the saying – “work smarter and not harder” In reality you should be doing both. You need to work smart and hard. You need plenty of activity but channeled in the right direction. If you are unsuccessful in your job search – have you explored all the available channels? A friend said to me recently that he had tried everything to get a job but he never asked me for help!! Proactive job search channels will help you access the hidden job market. My friend’s girlfriend got an administration job last month that was never advertised.

I don’t want you hanging around with him – Parents can always spot a bad egg and are skilled at identifying unsuitable associates. You need to use this strategy when job hunting in a tough market. You don’t need negativity when job hunting in a tough market. Spend less time talking to your negative friends and more time talking with the positive and bubbly element of you close network. Surround yourself with support BUT not those who fester negativity and doom and gloom.

Turn off that TV and do your homework – I was never a big TV person as a kid but I guess anything came above homework. The reason I say turn off the TV is because the current content will not inspire you. Most of the news in the papers and on the radio is negative. Reading and listening to this everyday will not inspire you. Remember bad news sells at the minute and the media is ensuring we get our fill of it.

“Fail to prepare, Prepare to fail”. This statement is so true for interviews. There are five key points that must be part of any interview preparation.

Does the job meet your requirements?
Attending interviews can take much time, effort and cost so ensure that the job and the company meet your requirements. I guess you should have established this before you even sent your CV BUT unfortunately much job hunting is the scattergun approach.

Information is power
Leading on from point one. If there is key information that you need to help make your decision to attend the interview then – ask ask ask!! More importantly you must try to find out about what is involved in the interview and selection process. What type of interview? How many interviewers? What type of psychometric tests are involved? The more information you get the more focused your interview preparation can be.

Know the employer and what they want
This is the critical part of any interview preparation. You can clarify key points if you get the opportunity to speak with the employer. If this is not possible then job specifications, websites, recruitment agents, company employees and friends can prove valuable resources.

How do you meet the job requirements?
This is about matching your skills and experience to the requirements of the employer. It is important to list achievements and successes that will add meat to your statements. This can make you stand out at interview.

Know your CV
I am amazed how many interviewees trip up when asked basic interview questions like “why are you leaving your current role?” You need to know dates of employment and explanations to why you joined and departed previous employment. You must also be able to provide details on your duties and responsibilities focusing your message to the needs of the employer.

Career experts can help your interview preparation.

Once upon a time job hunting was a pleasant experience. You saw a job, posted your CV, got invited to the company for a friendly chat and then you started work shortly after.

Traditional interview were nothing more than an unstructured chat on any subject from your interests, to your hobbies, to your last job or what you did the previous weekend. Unfortunately this is changing and employers are becoming more scientific. Traditional interviews are rare and online assessments, competency interviews, assessment centers and psychometric testing are all tools and techniques that companies are turning to in a bid the hire the right candidate.

Rather than tell you about these terms I have 2 points to make. If you are looking for a new job you MUST prepare for interviews. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. As importantly you must ask the client what is involved in the interview process. Many jobseekers ignore this point. When this information is highlighted and you know what to expect you can focus your preparation much better.

I am regularly asked about recruitment agencies with particular focus on “BEST”.

Who are the best agencies?

There are very good agencies in Ireland and very bad agencies. To complicate things further there are some bad consultants in the good agencies and good consultants in the bad agencies. With this in mind it is more important for you to find a relevant agency (see below for information on how to find an agency for your skills) and a good recruitment consultant rather than a good agency. How do you find these? You can ask friends and colleagues who they have used and more importantly found good. Recommendation is the best way to locate good consultants. If you have no network it is then the old reliable – trial and error. I can recommend agencies such as www.edenrecruitment.ie but I cannot stand by your experience because of the above points.

How do you get the best out of agencies?

Find a relevant agency – It is important to identify agencies that specialise in recruiting in your field. No point registering with financial and accountancy specialists when you work in sales. One way to identify relevant agencies is by searching on job boards such as www.employireland.ie and this will show you what agencies have jobs suitable for you.

Build a relationship with the recruiter – Ideally meet your consultant. If this is not possible at least stay in touch but don’t stalk. Staying in touch shoe that you are still available for work making life easier for the consultant

Know what you want – Be clear about what you want. Recruitment consultants do not offer career advice. They place people in jobs and do not help them decide what career path they should choose. With this in mind be careful what advice you get from consultants as they have an agenda and a job to fill – how impartial is their advice.

Manage your expectation – Recruitment agencies provide you with a free service so you should expect what you pay for. The biggest complaints from jobseekers about agencies revolve around the service level BUT jobseekers do not pay. Expect nothing so anything more than this is a bonus.