Find jobs and apply

Starting to search for a job can feel quite overwhelming because there are so many different directions you can take and places to search.

It would be good to carry our the following:

• Understand where your skills, experience and motivations lie to help you narrow your search to a particular sector and/ or role.
• Write or review your CV to ensure it is up-to-date and really speaks to your strengths.
• Create or update your LinkedIn profile as a potential source of opportunities.
• Reach out to your network/ connections to let them know of your interest.
• Register on numerous respected employment websites to be notified when vacancies matching yours come up. Don’t forget the ones that are sector/industry specific. You can bookmark the companies you are interested in working for so that you could refresh their jobs page every week.
• Follow up on references to ensure those people you list are aware you are searching and they could possibly be contacted.
• Keep a diary or log your activities so that you can check on progress and feel a sense of achievement.

Considering your strengths, values and career goals will often help you to navigate which jobs to search for but there are other factors you might want to consider alongside your search that are equally if not more important depending on your circumstances:

• Location: some vacancies require you to be in an office, home-based or hybrid. Consider how the location would affect your other commitments eg. work-life balance, transport costs etc.
• Contract type: there are pros and cons to each contract type, so consider which one is best for you eg. permanent, fixed term, casual, full time, part time, freelance, agency, consultancy etc.
• Hours: depending on other commitments you my want to consider part time work if you are a parent, carer or studying for example. Your pay would be impacted depending on your hours and if you are in receipt of income related benefits such as Universal Credit, the amount you earn could impact your payments.
• Workplace benefits: workplaces have an array of benefits ranging from Employee Assistance Programme, holiday trading, pension schemes, leisure discounts etc. Whilst these are possibly not the top aspect to look out for it is worth considering and often demonstrates how committed they are to supporting the wellbeing of their staff.  
• Salary: one of the most important factors that can sometimes be negotiated following an offer. There are other aspects to consider relating to salary, for example, do they operate an annual cost of living increase or an inflation linked pay rise? What is the pay scale structure, do they have pay bands and spinal column points providing you with an opportunity to increase your pay. Also, don’t forget to look at the hourly rate of pay because a full time job on £30,000 for a 35 hour week is quite different if they operate a 37.5 hour week (35hrs=£16.48, 37.5 hours=£15.38).   
• Training and development: how much do they invest in staff training and development can be an important factor to establish either from looking at their website but or enquiring upon interview. 
• Sector/Industry: if you are particular interested in a career within an industry such as teaching or a sector such as voluntary then there are often specific job sites that are tailored to those, such as:
  • charity sector
  • teaching
  • health (NHS)
  • medical

There are numerous ways you can find vacancies both in person and online, some of the main ones are listed below:

Papers: local and national press is often a great way to find latest vacancies from a variety of different sectors. You can sometimes access these free of charge at your local library.

Websites: this is the most common way to search for a job and you are often able to set up custom notifications to ensure you are emailed the latest opportunities that match your skills and interest.

Social media: a great way to connect with opportunities is to follow the organisation you are interested in, as they often promote their latest jobs across their channels. LinkedIn is a great way to network with others and also has a job searching feature.

Recruitment agencies: there are numerous local and national agencies that have been paid by employers to match the right people to roles. Some agencies also offer support such as CV writing etc so it is another option to consider.

Networking events: there might be a local careers fair or an open day related to employment that allows you to grow your network and provide avenues for exploring.

Direct: if you have identified an organisation you would like to work for you could reach out to them with your CV and covering letter because this shows your motivation and commitment.

Listed below are some organisations the UK Government signposts people to:

• Find a Job – DWP
• Indeed
• Reed
• Monster
• CV-Library
• Charity Job

There are many more local and national recruitment organisations but we are unable to list them all.

There are various local and national employment services you can access to support you throughout the process, most of which are free.

• Career guidance or counselling: this can be accessed via your educational setting such as college or university or in your local community such as a Jobcentre Plus.
• Employment/ career workshops or events: locally you may have resources you can access such as free career workshops, skills webinars etc details of which could be found at your local jobcentre or library.
• Online courses and tutorials: on YouTube you can find some informative videos that would support your CV writing, job searching etc but also your local library or college may have details of other more formal courses you could attend.
• Forums: some forums have specific discussion threads around employment so you may belong to a forum for other advice or chats and find they also have a work related discussion topic or group. If you know what sector you want to work in you could perhaps join a forum that specifically speaks to that.

It is always worth the time and effort to tailor your CV and covering letter to suit the opportunity you are applying for. You can place different emphasis on strengths, skills and experience depending on the job you are applying for. For example, from the job description you could look at the essential and desirable criteria and ensure your CV speaks to those.

If you are asked by another employer whether you are applying for other roles it’s best to be honest whilst reassuring them of your conviction.

It might be an idea to make a note of the applications you’ve submitted to ensure you know which one is active and the specific details of each one such as interview dates etc. You may end up having multiple interviews or actual offers which could be tricky to navigate and place you under pressure.

Applying for too many jobs could not only be overwhelming but you may also find it more difficult to customise each CV and covering letter or complete numerous applications, so the quality becomes negatively affected over the quantity.

There are numerous ways you can do this and below are just some of the ways you could consider:

• Tailoring your CV and cover letter for each application.
• Ensure your CV’s employment history isn’t just a list of responsibilities, use active power words to describe your accomplishments E.g. launched, led etc.
• Ensure your personal statement showcases the achievements most appealing to your prospective employer.
• Openly connect and network with professionals in the sector of interest so that they could let you know of positions or provide valuable insights or feedback.
• Demonstrate your proactiveness and motivation by looking for opportunities to engage and interact with employers such as following company on social media, connecting with them on LinkedIn etc.
• Showcase other skills and strengths that are aligned with the organisation’s culture, ethos or values.
• Consider what makes you a unique applicant that would resonate with the employer, highlight these in your CV and/or covering letter.
• Showing your personality will help make you more memorable over other candidates so whether you have an intriguing hobby or unique accomplishment add them in.

You don’t have to meet every aspect that is listed on the job criteria so definitely consider applying if you meet above 60%. Very often skills and experience are broken down into two requirement sections, essential and desirable. You don’t necessarily have to meet all of the essential, it’s worth applying if you meet some of them because you don’t know who else is applying and how they meet the criteria. You could highlight other skills and traits that the employer values and be invited to an interview to explore them.

To support applying when you don’t fully meet the criteria consider the following:

• Adapt your covering letter to acknowledge your reach for the position, whilst demonstrating your commitment to learning and development and showcasing skills and experiences that could be transferred to this role.
• Research the organisation so you can tailor your CV and covering letter highlighting other strengths and experience that they appreciate and value.
• Ensure the covering letter explains why you are a good fit and can fulfil the role so think of other areas that might not be included in your CV that would support this such as volunteering etc.
• Persuasive referees who believe you can fulfil the role, especially if they are in a similar sector could provide you with a recommendation or supportive quotes.
• Volunteer for the organisation if they have those opportunities and you could gain a foothold and grow within the company.

This very much depends on your situation. If you are reliant on an income this could certainly be a stop gap measure until you secure a more permanent or appropriate contract. It can also be a valuable way to gain experience and expand your network – whilst plugging a potential gap in your CV.

It might be an idea to consider if doing so would limit the time and resources to find a more suitable post. Being active and in work may also bolster your confidence and self-esteem that can sometimes be knocked by periods of inactivity and unemployment.

If you can’t find suitable jobs to apply for when searching it can be disheartening and discouraging. There could be numerous reasons behind this such as sector funding, specialist positions, difficult market etc.

Whatever the reason consider the following:

• Broaden your search criteria: include other options such as different location, contract, or sector, going for different post within the organisation etc.
• Review your CV: to ensure you are meeting the criteria of the posts you hope to apply for.
• Undertake relevant training: using the time you have until you find a job to apply for you could attend training or self- learning to help you prepare for maxing those opportunities that present themselves.
• Review your approach: it might be an idea to take a step back and look at your motivations around your current approach. Are you narrowing your opportunities by being too prescriptive? Are there aspects to job searching you are missing?
• Research alternatives: it is always good to have a back up plan you can resort to that either gets you closer to the goal or at least widens the net. Are there other opportunities you can fulfil in this period? Are there alternative posts or organisations you can apply to?
• Look after yourself: it is important to take time out for you so that you look after your wellbeing during these challenges. Spend time on other aspects of your life such as hobbies, family and friends etc so that you can become resilient and positive.

This sounds like an ideal situation but it can be difficult deciding which offer to go take up.

If you are presented with this situation you could consider the following:

• Salary and hours: is there a difference in salary and will the hours working be the same (some organisations work 35 hour week whilst others are 37.5)?
• Benefits: there may be other benefits that makes one offer more appealing such as more generous annual leave, larger pension contribution, health related programmes/benefits etc.
• Negotiation: is there an opportunity to negotiate any terms within the offer that could potentially alter which one you go for.
• Career goals and personal development: how does each organisation approach training and development? Are there opportunities to progress within the structure?

Employers are more likely to respond to your application if you have gone through to the interview stage. It is usual not to hear if you haven’t been selected for an interview due to the resources involved. However, you can certainly follow up at any stage with a polite email or phone call enquiring about the status of your application.

It would be wise to continue applying if you don’t hear anything just to ensure you don’t miss out on other opportunities.

Recruitment agencies essentially take on the job searching for you and some provide additional support such as CV writing, interview skills etc. Recruitment agencies vary and can be local, sector specific or national and more generalist roles.

Recruitment agencies work on a commission basis and are paid by employers to find suitable candidates for their roles. The agency will match people to the vacant roles and put them forward for consideration. If that candidate is selected, they receive a fee from the employer.

It is entirely your choice whether you use a recruitment agency. There are various benefits such as making your job search easier, increasing your chances for gaining an interview, possible access to support and feedback, specialist sector insights and handling paperwork/admin etc.

Below are some aspects for you to consider:

• Before signing up ensure the recruitment agency receives positive reviews. Sometimes they may not act in your best interest and might suggest you go for a role that you aren’t interested in or adapt your CV in a way you disagree with.
• If there is competition or a cap in how many candidates, the agency can put forward for a position you can find it harder to get to the next stage.
• Sometimes employers might select applicants that don’t have a related agency fee.
• Important to remember that recruitment consultants are not providing employment advice so it is best to approach them when you have a clear idea of the role you are interested in.