Despite Covid-19 and the subsequent recession, companies and businesses are still looking for staff as the job market continues to boom. Here’s how to apply for jobs. Read original article on news.com.au 28/6/2021.
According to SEEK, May job advertisements increased by 27.2 per cent compared to pre-Covid figures of May 2019. Furthermore, they were up by a monumental 164.4 per cent year-on-year.
However if you want to capitalise on the employment market, make sure your resume and interview skills are up to scratch. Speaking to news.com.au, recruitment specialist Leah Lambart, and career coach and author of Navigating Career Crossroads, Jane Jackson, shared their top tips on how to put your best foot forward.
Facing the current job market
Leah Lambart from ReLaunch Me said job seekers need to understand that there are ‘a lot of candidates so it’s still a very competitive job market.’
“They need to present themselves in the best possible way and being clear in what job they are looking for and why is very important,” she said.
“They also need to identify any transferable skills when switching or starting a new job and describe how any skills they’ve developed in their previous roles will transfer over.”
Career coach Jane Jackson has encouraged job seekers to take their job search seriously by putting in the time and effort.
“It takes time to submit a good application and it’s not a matter of just uploading a resume and clicking send,” she said.
The most important factor applicants should consider is deciding exactly what they want to do and assess your skills and prior knowledge that make you competent for the role.
“When you see these job ads, have a look at what the requirements are and find out as much as you possibly can about it because if you enjoy doing something you do very well you’ll get more of it,” she said.
Here are the top three things to consider when jumping into the job market:
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Job advertisements have risen by 27.2 per cent compared to May 2019 Picture: iStock.Source:news.com.au
Have an updated and succinct resume:
Ms Lambart’s best advice for creating a killer resume is thinking about what is relevant to the role and deleting the rest to keep it within an ideal limit of three to four pages.
“Make sure your resume is easy on the eye and is tailored to the role you’re applying for with a dedicated skills section that outlines how you match the specific role,” she said.
One of the main reminders Ms Lambart has to remind her clients is to avoid including ‘everything they’ve done in the last 10 years’.
Ms Jackson advises against people sending out the same generic resume to all job advertisements as that ‘doesn’t really hit the mark’ and ‘lessens their chances for success.’
“Update and strengthen your resume that is tailored for every single role and conduct as much research to understand the company, industry and business you’re applying to,” she said.
“When you’re armed with that information, it’ll put you in a much stronger position.”
Network with potential employers online:
While in-person networking opportunities have been paused to the pandemic, you can still connect with your current and future employers.
Things like participating in online webinars can allow you to follow up and connect with people after. Ms Lambart also recommends using Facebook, Twitter and seeking out volunteering opportunities to connect with your respective industry.
“If you’re trying to get into a tough area, it’s also recommended to offer to do volunteer work to build up your resume and build relationships with the people in the company.”
Keep your resume updated and succinct when applying for roles Picture: iStock.Source:news.com.au
How to market your transferrable skills:
One of the most important qualities to stand out in the competitive market is to identify your transferable skills to your future employer.
Transferable skills are a core set of skills and abilities that go beyond a particular job or organisation and you can use them in almost any role.
Great people skills, for example, will be valuable to your work whether you’re a customer service representative or a carpenter, a senior executive or an intern.
Ms Jackson recommends identifying the skills required of the role you’re applying for and assess what you’ve done in the past that can help you in the new job.
“If you’ve never done sales before, but you can negotiate and you can talk and present well, that means maybe you’ll be a good sales professional, you just haven’t had the sales experience but sales can be taught,” she said.
Ms Lambart revealed the top four transferable skills employers are currently looking for are communication or interpersonal skills, problem solving, innovation, adaptability and digital skills.
She said these skills will help market yourself better to other candidates.
“Employers want to see how you can adapt to change … and if you’re able to find new ideas for their company which is an in demand quality,” she said.
This article was created in partnership with SEEK
