Once you have fully defined your objectives in relation to the job search process then you will have a clearer idea of exactly what you are searching for and can appropriately focus your job search in the right places.

2. Update Your CV

It is easy to fall into the trap of drafting or redrafting your CV first and then deciding upon your job search objectives, however this is likely to create more work for you in the future. Sometimes our eagerness to feel like we are doing something constructive can be more of a hindrance so make sure you are clear about your job search objectives first. The reason for this is because your CV should be specifically designed to reflect the types of jobs you are looking. Many job seekers make the common mistake of creating a generic CV which they send out in response to all job vacancies, but this is like making only one size of clothes and expecting them to fit all people. Just like clothes are designed in all shapes and sizes to reflect demand, your CV should also be tailored to specific job types. This can be done by tweaking your CV so that it draws out specific key skills and abilities depending upon the nature of the job, and emphasises these above others in response to employer requirements. It is not advisable to simply just submit the same CV to multiple jobs.

Despite what people will tell you about appearances not being as important as abilities, making the right impression really does matter. It is critical that you look smart and presentable as this communicates respect to a prospective employer and indicates that you are willing to make an effort. Ensure that you have any interview attire ready prior to commencing your job search so that you can respond instantly to an interview request. There are many occasions when an employer may ask if you could attend an interview that day and the last thing that you want to be doing to racing around trying to find the right interview clothing.

Tip: It is important that you opt for dark colours like, Black, Blue or Navy for interview attire and aim for a white shirt or blouse/under top. These colours are generally quite neutral and are less affected by personal taste. If pink is your favourite colour and you go to interview wearing pink then there is an even chance that the person interviewing you will be either positively or negatively affected by your clothing. However neutral colours do not generally engender such strong feelings.

4. Newspaper Job Search

For hundreds of years one of the preferred ways to conduct a job search is by scouring newspapers or specialist magazines to locate appropriate job vacancies. It is highly recommended that you continue to use these methods as they have key benefits. Newspaper media for example will provide an excellent snapshot of the types of job vacancies in your immediate area, which is likely to reduce potential travel time and costs. Specialist magazines are also excellent for locating job vacancies within a specific industry or sector, and these can be excellent for skilled professionals in areas like social working, science, engineering, aerospace and the IT & computing sectors.

However the difficulties with these methods is that there is often a significant cost implication either because you need to sign up for expensive magazine subscription charges or buy a newspaper each and everyday. It is also the case that you will need to trawl through hundreds of irrelevant job vacancies, which are not applicable to your individual circumstances.

5. Internet Job Search

The internet has transformed the job search process and has the ability to respond to the individual needs for jobseekers and provide more targeted job vacancies. The majority of organisational websites or specialist job search sites are regularly updated, offer instant access to potential employers and jobseekers and are highly interactive and easy to navigate.

Employers can now communicate directly with jobseekers and list multiple job vacancies quickly and easily, speeding up feedback times and recruitment timescales. However specialist online job search sites like www.monster.com, go jobsite.co.uk or jobserve.com are even more effective. These are essentially online job boards run by organisations that are independent of employers and which hosts many thousands of job vacancies at any one time. As a jobseeker it makes life easier by placing the latest job vacancies all in one place, rather than having to navigate each employer site individually.

There are many excellent features including the ability to upload your resume directly onto the site so that thousands of potential employers can view it directly and email alerts which trigger an email to be sent directly to your email inbox if suitable jobs that match your criteria are posted on the site. Online job search sites like these offer flexibility, speed and the ability to narrow down your search options if there is just too much information to go through.

There is no cost for jobseekers to use these sites, because the companies and organisations pay the website an advertising fee for posting a job vacancy, which means that they are free compared with costly newspaper and magazine subscriptions.

6. Register With An Employment Agency

Employment agencies can be an excellent resource for helping you find suitable job vacancies either in your immediate locality or nationwide. They can add value to your job search process in many ways and here are just a few benefits that they can bring;

It is always helpful to have a third party review your CV and a good employment agency will take time to go through your CV with you and provide suggestions for improvement or help to draw out your key skills more effectively. Even if you choose not to use their free services, it is worth attending an interview with an employment agency just for this element.

A good employment agency will know their clients well and can often provide you with crucial information about the organisation, the environment they operate in and the key skills that you will need to emphasise in order to obtain an interview.

The difficulty with applying directly to some larger organisations is that it can take many months to get a response, because the recruitment process is often handled by Human Resource staff who have little knowledge about the critical skills the hiring managers need. This often means that applications are dealt with in order of when they were submitted rather than according to how critical the skills are have are to their organisation. However employment agencies often have excellent relationships with hiring managers who have the real power and can often act on your behalf to speed up the process by flagging up your skills as critical to business operations. This means that you can often receive prompt feedback. It is also worth remembering that employment agency staff are receive commission for each success placement they make and it is in their interest to get the fastest possible feedback after submitting your CV to an organisation.

Tip: Ask around for a recommendation of a good agency, that way you will quickly discover which can add value to your job search.

7. Personal Networking

Colleagues, friends or family are a highly effective and free way to find out about current or pending job vacancies. Why embark on a costly or time consuming job search when you can immediately apply for a smaller number that may be a perfect match? Personal networking in this way is the best place to start any job search and it is always worth asking around those that you know because if they have similar skills to you then it is likely that those jobs that they have applied for will also be directly relevant to you.

The recruitment process can be costly and time consuming for organisations too and they will be keen to appointment people who will stay with the organisation in the long term. What better way to achieve this goal than by appointing friends, family or ex colleagues of people who already work for them, especially as they will be able to vouch for their skills and experiences and are already likely to have insight into the organisation and how it conducts its operations. A colleague of mine once recruited five skilled IT consultants without once having to advertise. The first person he called told a friend and so on until all five had applied for five available jobs and were successful. Adopting this approach can often lead to greater job satisfaction because you are likely to be working alongside people you already have some kind of personal or working relationship with. Personal networking really can be a critical element in conducting a successful job search, so ask around.

8. Bypass official Channels

Once a job is advertised the chances of you being a successful applicant reduce for the simple reason that you have more competition to contend with. However if you are recommended by a friend, colleague or family member who already works for the organisation or already have a social/professional relationship with the hiring manager you can get a head start. Whilst organisations would never admit to it they frequently will speed up the interview process of a particular candidate if they come through from a recommendation. Many organisations offer recruitment bonus schemes to employees who recommend individuals for jobs and who are subsequently employed as a result. The benefits for the company are that they may not have to advertise the job if another colleague mentions your credentials before a vacancy is officially made public, saving them time and money. There are also additional benefits of bypassing official channels through a personal recommendation which include;

If you are applying for a job at a company where you already have friends, family or clients then this will improve your understanding of what the job requires and boost your chances at interview. Demonstrating to a prospective employer that you have intimate knowledge of their business or industry is a powerful tool and you will stand out more distinctively than another candidate who has a lesser understanding.

The key to making it through the assessment process is understanding what is required of you. Increasingly companies are turning to assessment centres which are set up to test various technical, interpersonal and knowledge based skills. Networking is an ideal means of obtaining information about what you can expect to face, whilst you won't be able to find out the specifics of the tests involved, asking others who have completed these assessments can help you understand what you will be tested on. This can be really helpful as it gives you the opportunity to prepare yourself properly for the assessment to give you a solid start.

In order to conduct a successful job search it is essential that you adopt as many of the elements discussed above in order to provide you with a structured approach which will yield results. The job search process is like a funnel which is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, the more you put in at the top the more you will get out as an end result. Job seekers who choose only one approach are significantly reducing their potential job vacancy pool and may end up have to settle for second best.

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