Are you focusing your job hunt on publicly advertised positions? If so, then you are limiting yourself to just 20% of the jobs out there. Advertised positions are just the tip of the iceberg, because 80% of jobs are never advertised. The secret to a truly successful job hunt is dividing your search time effectively between the wide varieties of available job sources.
Advertisements
These are, of course, a great source of jobs, especially if you use all relevant publications, reply in time, think carefully about each job and target your responses to the specific advert. However, do not rely exclusively on this method to find yourself a job.
Consider these sources too:
- National, regional and local newspapers
- Job centres
- Specialist publications
- Industry and company websites
Agencies
These organisations work by advertising a position and carrying out initial interviews to screen individuals for specific positions.
In other words, they handle the early stages of recruitment for an employer.
They may retain a database of candidates to offer to employers seeking permanent and temporary staff.
Internet
More than four million people used the internet last year to search for work.
Although recruiters are viewing online applications as a streamlined and effective system, remember that with this many people using this method each year, the competition is extremely high.
On spec
This is an unsolicited or uninvited speculative approach to an organisation wherein you ask to be considered for vacancies or positions that may or may not exist. Use this method to target organisations at which you would like to work, or where you think there may be vacancies. Follow this three-step process:
- Send a letter explaining what you can offer to the company, together with a Copy of your CV.
- Follow up with a phone call a week to 10 days later.
- Then phone or send a letter again after a suitable interval.
Conducting sufficient research is the key to success in your speculative campaign.
Networking
This is done by using all of your contacts and their contacts to gather the sort of information that will enable you to make a professional approach to an employer.
Networking is best seen as a research exercise that leads to a speculative approach rather than simply asking ‘Do you know of any jobs?’
For many jobseekers, the idea of a productive job search is to send out numerous applications every week in the hope of being invited to interview. In fact, the key to success is to concentrate on carefully tailoring your applications and ensuring that you are practising your various job hunting techniques in the right way.
Specialist Logistics and Supply Chain Management and Transport Management Recruitment Consultants
Supply Chain & Logistics Consultancy Services
Supply Chain Services Australia