Helpful hints for anyone looking for a new job in 2023

Starting Fresh with a new job

The winter months are known for being a time of reflection and goal setting. During January, many will start the age-old tradition of setting their resolutions for the upcoming year. Reportedly, pursuing a new career path is one of the most popular resolutions set year upon year. Alongside that is the desire to learn something new. As believers of self-improvement through further education, we at the College of Contract Management have created a list of ways to prepare when looking to start a new career. Regardless of if you are looking to apply for your new job in person or online, these tips will help get you started.

 

Applying for your new job online

As with most things in the world, the way in which we apply for jobs has changed. Thanks to the internet, applying for jobs can be easily done from the comfort of your own home. Employers are able to advertise their company positions and review CV’s all in one place. This ease of use has led to sites such as Indeed jobs being one of the most popular ways to apply for work. Understandably so, as the system itself can help you create your own CV and filter searches relevant to what you are looking for. Although applying for a new job has been made more accessible, there are still steps you can take to give yourself the best chances of success.

 

Preparing to apply for a new job

Increased accessibility to job openings means more competition. Therefore, you need to ensure you are as prepared as possible before applying. Job application processes rely heavily on first impressions. With that in mind, let’s have a look at some things you can do to give a good impression.

 

Consider what sort of jobs you would like

You want to take some time to assess your wants and needs first. This process is very important as it will help formulate an idea of the type of job you are going to be looking for. Firstly, when looking for a new job, you need to think about what is going to suit you. You will need to start by assessing your current skill level. Think about how confident you feel about your capabilities. Then you can think about the sort of role that would suit your current skill set. Once you have established the skills you have and the role they would suit, you can then start looking at the jobs themselves.

 

When you are looking at particular industry roles, you want to think about how suitable they will be for you. What salary are you looking for? Obviously, everyone wants to earn lots of money that will enable them to live a life of luxury. However, you need to think about your personal capabilities and what kind of salary they can get you. You want to make sure you earn enough and have room for progression as your grow.

 

Research your potential new jobs

Whilst you will indeed want your CV and cover letter to be a comprehensive cover of your skills and work history, you also don’t want it to be too long. The best way to make sure your CV will be impactful is to make sure it suits the role you’re applying for. The best way to build a great CV is to make it applicable to the job you want.

Employers will often list requirements on the job advert, which is a great place to start. Yet, you can also learn a lot about the company through research. Most companies often have their ethos and values listed on their website. This is something they will be looking for in potential employees. If you match any of these qualities, you want to mention this is your CV. For example, if the prospective company actively advertises the importance of teamwork on their website, you want to touch on this in your CV. However, you don’t want to overload your CV with their values as it can appear disingenuous. Be careful to not list verbatim what they are looking for, only stick to the ones you truly think you match.

 

Prepare your CV

Writing a CV is no easy task. There are multiple elements you need to consider. There are now multiple options available online for anyone looking for a CV template. This is a great place to start if you are unsure on how to format your CV. Even if you are using a template, you will still need to know what to write. With that being said, let’s have a look at a few of the key elements of writing your CV.

 

Length

When writing a CV, you don’t want to overload your potential employer with information. A CV should be no longer than two sides of A4 paper in total. It’s important to remember, you won’t be the only one looking for a new job. Employers can face hundreds of CV’s thanks to the ease of application through online job adverts. Therefore you want to keep yours short, but concise.

 

Include all your contact details

Regardless of whether you prefer being called or emailed, you want to include multiple methods for the employer to contact you. You also want to make sure your voicemail is active with a clear indication on who the voicemail inbox is addressed to. In addition to this, make sure your email address is appropriate. Again, you want to make a good first impression, unclear or missing contact details can have an opposite effect.

 

Previous academic and professional achievements

Next up is the inclusion of any academic or professional qualifications you may have. This can cover a multitude of qualifications from GCSE’s, Degrees, NVQ’s or on the job qualifications. This gives your employer an idea of your academic background. Including your professional qualifications can also be very useful, as it shows your dedication to previous work. If you are currently happy in your current role but thinking of moving on in the near future, think about what opportunities you can take up between now and then to bolster your qualifications on your CV.

 

Previous employments

Following on from discussing your qualifications, you want to start listing your previous work experience. Firstly, you want to list your current or most recent employer, then move down chronologically. In addition to listing the jobs, you also want to touch on the responsibilities you had in that role. You don’t want to go into too much detail, as you can discuss this at a later stage, but include information about your day-to-day roles. This will give employers an idea on what skills will be transferable to your new job.

 

Personal strengths

After discussing your academic and professional achievements and placements, you want to discuss your personal skills. This is where you want to apply the knowledge of your own personal strengths and match them to the skills the employer is looking for. Again, you don’t want to reel off the list of attributes listed on the website. Pick a few that you think apply to you, and include these. Don’t be afraid to be proud and confident in your own achievements.

 

References

Finally, you want to list two or three references. These are most often previous employers, who can be contacted to confirm your work ethic and achievements. Although it isn’t necessary, it is always best to ask people if you can use them as a reference.

 

Before applying for a new job, take some time to organise yourself

Firstly, you want to take searching for new jobs as an opportunity to start fresh with a few things. To start, you might want to have a general tidy up of your life admin. You don’t have to stop at refreshing your CV. Another, important, but often missed step is cleaning up your online presence. A lot of prospective employers may potentially search your social media. You don’t want to necessarily live off-grid whilst looking for new jobs, but maybe keep some things private. This will play a huge part in making a successful first impression.

 

In addition to clearing up your life admin, think about your work wardrobe. Now, this doesn’t necessarily apply to all jobs, especially not those involving work uniform, but its always best to be prepared. Most companies will abide by a certain dress code. Do you own clothes that suit this, and if you don’t, are you in the position to be able to get the right clothes that do?

 

Remain positive

One of the most important things to remember when on the hunt for a new job, is to keep a positive mindset. The job market is always going to be competitive, regardless on the time of year or the job you apply for. Try to not get your heart set on one role. You may be lucky and be hired for the first role you apply for, but that isn’t normally the case. It is, in fact, more likely that you will be met with a couple of rejections before you find the role that is right for you. Don’t let these dampen your outlook on your skills and future. Keep your head up and the right job will come along in time.

 

Expand your skillset

Finally, with comprehension being an integral part in finding employment success, take some time to improve your existing skills and capabilities. It doesn’t always have to be learning something new, you may want to work on what you already have. Regardless of what you choose, taking an online course can help vastly improve your chances of employment. Taking an online course doesn’t only increase your skills however. Through additional qualifications you are showing dedication and willingness towards your personal growth.

Being new job ready with the College of Contract Management

Here at the College of Contract Management we understand the effects an increased skillset can have for our students. Therefore we offer high quality professional courses over a wide variety of industries, to help you improve your capabilities. Our courses, offered online worldwide, are delivered live via experienced professionals who not only increase your comprehension on the topic, but also provide advice and assistance regarding the application of this knowledge in a working environment. In addition to live course delivery, we also host a variety of different styles of qualification. Meaning, that regardless of your current experience, you will find a course that suits you.

 

Final note

January is a great time to take a back step, assess your growth and set out new goals. When looking at the previous year, remember to take some time to praise yourself on the achievements you made over the past 12 months. This can be in terms of your physical health, mental health, professional growth or even your social life. It is important to think about how far you have come before you think about where you go next. If you are thinking about embarking on a new career path, or pursue taking the new step in your current role, take some time to look at the advice above. Why not enrol on a course and see where you new skills can take you?