Hints and tips when applying for a new role
Today I thought I would provide some advice to those looking for a new role. Afterall, a new year can imply a new start so what should you do when trying to secure a new job?
The first thing I recommend doing is look at the reason why you want a new role. Unless you are paid well below market rates, just looking for more money is not a great way to start. There will always be jobs that pay more and those of you that are in a role that you love will already know that this is far more important than just being well paid. Good reasons will include things like working in something that you are passionate about, gaining more experience/expertise, increasing individual responsibility or perhaps challenging yourself personally. If you are able to secure an interview with a prospective employer later on, being really clear on why you want the role and being able to express this articulately will work in your favour as employers look for this in prospective candidates.
Allied to the above is the need to understand the kind of environment (culture) that you like to work in, for example do you enjoy a creative environment in which ideas are debated and discussed or do you prefer something more structured which has well-defined systems and processes? What sort of people do you like to work with and how do you like to be managed? Understanding these sorts of things facilitates gathering as much information as you can at the interview to ensure that you really do ‘fit’ with the organisation you are hoping to join. It is well known that employers typically “hire on skills and fire on fit” so making sure that the company culture is founded on values that you can align with will lead to greater job satisfaction and a much longer tenure.
Right now it is very much a ‘seller’s market’ since there are generally more jobs available than staff to fill them. This means that employers will be very keen to move fast and secure good candidates and the old rule of ‘supply and demand’ means that remuneration will be going up as well. However, the old adage ‘marry in haste, repent in leisure’ can also be applied to the job market so it is well worth taking the time to find out all you can about the company and the role before you go to interview. Doing this will impress the interviewers as well since it tends to reflect a strong desire for the role.
A key part of the overall process is to make sure that you provide an up-to-date resume and always provide a cover letter. There are some basic do’s and don’t’s when it comes to resumes. Despite the fact that you may be very proud of all that you have done, an extensive resume will not impress – employers simply don’t have the time to read 14 pages of personal history so keep it to around 3 pages maximum. This might sound like a considerable challenge, but you don’t need to describe in detail what each of the companies you have worked with actually do, this can always be uncovered by a web search or similar. Equally, you don’t need to necessarily describe much about the role either since employers will typically have a fair idea of this too. What really does matter is that you bullet list your achievements in the role and highlight any key responsibilities that you held. It is also worth including a ‘Positioning Statement’ which uniquely describes who you are and where your particular strengths and interests lie relative to the job market. Hobbies also say more about the kind of person you are.
The role of the cover letter is to translate your specific skills, experience and expertise to the key requirements of the role on offer, i.e. this describes why you are suitable for the job. A well written cover letter can make a difference as to whether you get an interview or not since it makes the job of those selecting candidates for interview very much easier.
Ian Ash ACC, AInstIB
Managing Director OrgMent Business Solutions - www.ombs.com.au