Every day I see more and more opportunities available for job seekers.
The job market is steaming ahead in all sectors and at all levels. Particularly in the financial and IT sectors. There is even talk of full employment in the not too distant future.
This kind of activity brings great opportunities at all levels but there is a caution or more correctly, several cautions that need to address and especially by those at senior levels.
When making an application for a new position, it is reasonable that you will be seen to direct yourself to a role that’s at a similar level to where you are currently or the next logical step upwards in seniority. Maybe two steps but not three or four unless there is an exceptional reason or set of circumstances.
This current good run on employment prompts some to take a chance and go for the ‘big one’ and apply for roles that are clearly beyond their competence; it rarely works. Employing people is an expensive business and it’s rare that employers will take a risk.
Target your job search
Whatever reason you want to change jobs, in this positive climate resist the temptation to take the ‘blunder bus approach’ to your job search. It’s so easy to copy and paste your application into multiple emails, add a bunch of company or recruiter mail addresses into the blind copy and hit the send button. You may well wonder why you don’t get any reply. This kind of activity will eventually work against you.
Firstly, recruiters are well practised in quickly scanning through emails and will very quickly recognise an application that is used for a number of vacancies.
Take the time to appraise every role that you are considering carefully. Match yourself to the job specification. Appraise your own background, experience and skills and see if they meet the requirements of the employer.
You must carefully read and re-read every job specification. The first 4, 5 or 6 items listed under “Job Requirements” are usually the main requirements. Most of what follows is often aspirational requirements; need to have or nice to have.
When doing this, be ever conscious of the fact that as human beings we tend to be overly kind to ourselves when appraising our own situation. There is no room for this. You must take a hard, cold, clinical review of your background and relate it to the job offer. You will never be a 100% match but being a reasonably close match is a requirement.
Of course, all the usual CV rules apply too and remember if you are called for an interview that is still just another step in the process.
Intense interview preparation will be required before you can attend an interview and present yourself in a professional and confident manner.
Colm Cavey has over 24 years’ experience in helping people change careers and find the kind of job they want. Colm can review your CV, help you organise your job hunt and provide one to one interview and presentation coaching or all of those elements together in a full Career Change programme. To find out more about Colm you can contact him directly on 086-3017207 or via his company Professional Career Consulting