This year has brought many challenges and here at StudioRav one of those is in finding new people to work with us.
We already work with a range of remote companies, partners and freelancers and we’ve also looked at finding staff for example through the Kickstart Scheme.
One of the things which we really noticed was that there are A LOT of people desperate to find work.
But after having gone through literally hundreds and hundreds of CV’s here are a few tips on improving your job prospects:
Stand out!
Just like in many areas of life, sometimes the only way to get noticed is to stand out.
The most obvious way of doing this is with a proper CV.
We’ve looked at soooo many CV’s which all tell us about how great the applicant is at ‘working independently or as part of a team.’
Guess what? So is everyone else!
Some of the best CV’s we encountered described interesting jobs or skills the person had.
Another way you could make your CV stand out is by using a different template.
It’s such an obvious idea most people may not even think of it.
Make your CV look different to everyone else’s and it may encourage someone to spend a minute more on your application.
What your employer wants to know
The key thing you should understand is:
1. Employers want to know you can do the job
2. Employers care about whether you will stay doing the job as long as they want
3. Employers need someone who fits and suits the business or office
So based on the above it is your job to prove you have the skills, such as through your previous jobs or a portfolio of work.
You also need to show that you’re a committed worker and you don’t have lots of problems in your life.
Even if you do, make sure you can show how you’ve overcome those issues in your past, and emerged as a great new person.
Finally, you need to click with the employer (probably during the interview) and show that you would be great to have in the office or as part of the team.
Being on time, able to work flexibly, get on well with your manager – these things will all help.
Get to the point
Be clear and explain right away why the employer should hire you.
In your CV this could be the covering letter or even the introduction – don’t use a generic, boring one.
You will also get a chance to do this at a subsequent interview.
Don’t use the same tired cliches about how you are ‘reliable, polite, and a team worker’.
(Having said that, don’t say you’re a rule breaker and difficult to work with either…)
Maybe you could explain how you’ve trained other workers, or you’ve got experience in working with difficult clients.
After speaking to you the employer should feel like you could do the job with your eyes closed, AND it would be nice to work with you.
A bit of extra effort goes a long way
Even little things like making sure you’re well dressed for your interview can make a difference.
Take time to put something together which you can show your interviewer, even if it’s just notes for yourself.
Showing that you’ve spent time preparing for the interview shows initiative and organisation.
Ask questions
Remember you are not just a drone or robot.
You are a living, breathing person with ideas, thoughts and opinions.
Ask questions to show you are interested in the job.
Ask questions so your employer can understand how you think and what you care about.
The more intelligent questions you ask, the more you show that it would be useful to have you on the team.
Not every job is right for you
One interesting thing we’ve noticed is people applying for jobs they never intended to take.
Maybe that’s due to the ease of applying online with 1-click.
Regardless, it also brings up the fact that the majority of applicants are just never going to be right.
Either they live too far, others have more experience, or due to some other issue.
The fact is – you won’t be right for every job you apply for.
Therefore no matter what happens, keep going.
Eventually you will find the right job for you…and if you don’t, make one for yourself!