You’ve created the perfect CV and brushed up on your interview skills, but now what? Where do you go from here? Well, it’s time to find a job that you will love. Unfortunately, this is not the easiest thing to do. Regardless of what stage in your career you’re at, there are a few things to consider before you start looking for jobs.

Firstly, you need to decide what it is you want to do. Look at your skills, abilities and of course your interests. Research what jobs require what you can offer and begin to understand what routes are available for you to take.

It can be a good idea to take on work experience or an internship to help you decide what job you want without having to commit to a permanent role. It’s crucial that you are realistic with what you choose, however.

Remember that some careers may seem glamorous and attractive but aren’t always as they seem. Go for the job, not the lifestyle.

For some, they can start the job they desire straight away. There are many jobs that will allow you to do this. Taking on a temporary role in your desired career path will allow you to begin work straight away as well as allowing you to craft the skills required.

Temporary jobs are ideal if you can’t commit to more serious roles and will allow you to start working straight away. However, there are also permanent roles available if you want to start working immediately.

If you need to start working but feel like you lack in experience, do not panic. There are many different routes to take that will help you enter the working world. Along with internships, volunteering and apprenticeships are excellent options that will help you become more attractive to employers.

It will also demonstrate your willingness to get involved with projects and that you’re motivated. To help you figure out what path you wish to follow, create a plan of the steps in your career that will you need to take. It could mean you need to apply for entry-level jobs or even taking on a course in the field.

If you’re looking for a job but don’t have the right qualifications, it can be hard to stay ahead of the competition. Taking up study in your chosen field can seem impossible if you’re someone who needs to start work ASAP.

However, taking up a course in your chosen field is now easier than ever. If you’re able to take on full-time study, great! Do not fret if you can’t. There are now many part-time courses that cover a wide array of topics.

As well as that, courses are adapted to those who want to take on a course between working. Home study or distance learning courses operate in whatever way you want. They allow you to learn what you want to learn at a time and pace that suit you.

For those that don’t see rigid full-time work as an option, there are many different routes to take. You could become a freelancer in your field, work from home or take up jobs with flexible hours. Roles like these will allow you to balance work with your lifestyle.

Check out our list here to determine what kind of jobseeker you are!

Keeping your CV concise is essential. In terms of length, 2 pages long is ideal. However, if you’re someone who has a long and detailed career history, it can be hard to sum it all up. It’s important to keep your application as attractive to an employer as possible. 

There are a number of ways to do this, even if you have a long career history. First of all, make sure to be ruthless with it. Cut down anything you can and really think of what you’re including. Ask yourself, will this add to my chances of getting the job? If the answer is no, you don’t need to keep it in. 

As well as that, look at the description of the job and tailor your CV accordingly. Cut out anything that's not overly relevant. This will not only save space, but it will also help your CV to seem the most focused and most fitting for the job. 

Use this tactic when it comes to your previous job positions. Your first job working in a supermarket will not have much bearing on your ability to work as a doctor. If you have a number of different positions in retail that you want to include, list them as “Various retail positions (date - date)”. 

You can also do this for jobs that are not relevant to what you are applying for. It could be a position in another field. It could be a position from which you moved to a more senior position. Whatever the case may be, if it’s not going to change the employer’s minds on whether to hire you or not, it’s not needed. 

Having a long career history doesn’t always mean that you worked from job to job since you were 17. You could have a number of gaps in employment. It could be gap years, career breaks, sabbaticals or even a hiatus to raise your family. 

Cleaning up your CV when you have had a long career history will stand in the favour of job gaps. By this, we mean that you can easily draw attention away from any gaps in employment. You can also use dates to your advantage by leaving the months out and only including years. 

Show how you have been proactive with your time off. List volunteer work, courses or hobbies you took up during this period. Use your cover letter to explain the gaps in your CV. Check out our post here about how to explain gaps in your employment for more information.

If you’re someone who has hopped from job to job, combine similar roles together in order to keep your career history concise. Make sure to highlight the most relevant skills and accomplishments from each job, however.

Some industries or job positions will expect job hops, but it’s always good to explain them in your cover letter regardless. It’s essential to specify job hops in the case of being made redundant, to show that it was an involuntary move. 

You should also let them know if it was a natural progression of your career to move jobs. Ambition, determination and a willingness to grow will be demonstrated.  

Finally, if you have a had a number of short-term positions that have not added to your career progression, leave them out altogether.

Working from home is the ideal situation for many people. It means you avoid commuting to and from work, you can improve work-life balance and in times of uncertainty like we find ourselves in now, it means you can be safe in your own bubble. Whatever your reasons for working from home are, here is how you can find remote work. 

The first step is to find out what’s right for you. Despite the perks of remote work, it’s not actually suited for everyone. It’s important to take time to access what your situation is. 

You need to ask yourself are you self-motivated enough to stay on task, will you be lonely or left out, will you be able to get the right balance between work and home life and will you be able to communicate effectively over the phone, video call or emails. 

It’s essential to be sure you’re doing it for the right reasons too. Your employer will be able to tell if you are motivated or if you just want to slack. 

Secondly, it’s important to access whether or not you’ll be able to stay in touch with your team in the office. Being tech-savvy is crucial to this. You don’t need to be an expert in every form of software, but knowing the basics is necessary. 

Set up social media accounts, a blog or website to keep in touch with people in a professional way. Build up your network and remote working opportunities will become more attainable. After all, your employer may be best friends with someone you interact within your network who may put in a good word for you. 

Next, it’s important that you have the right skills for the role. Your technical ability will come into play with this, but it’s vital that you have general valuable skills that will show you’re worthy of the job. For example, trustworthiness, autonomy and a love of the job will make you attractive. 

Show self-motivation and great communication on your CV and cover letter. Offer some examples of your work or projects you’ve worked on to show your initiative. If you can prove to them that you can in fact deliver, then do!

Finally, versatility is key when it comes to remote working and finding opportunities is no different. There are many ways to find remote work such as through job forums or even social media. Just make sure to do the necessary research on any job opportunities or companies you come across. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 

When you’re happy with the job you’re in, you could ask your employer if remote working is an option. If it is not, you could instead ask for more flexible working hours and access the options available to you from this. 

Getting the opportunity to try out remote working in this context means that you’ll get to figure out if it is right for you. You can then make any transition to remote working jobs that you desire with ease. You will be able to show future employers that it doesn’t phase you. Becoming a freelancer could also be a viable option for you.

Need help with your CV? Check out our post here!

Hiring managers receive a large number of CVs for every vacancy they advertise. For this reason, job seekers can often end up being categorised. It could be based on experience, ambitions or how they try to land a job. We’ve listed the seven most common job seeker types below. 

The Spammer

This job seeker will send the same CV to every single job listing they find that seems even slightly suitable for them. Due to the high volume of jobs they apply for, it’s likely they will get a call for an interview or two. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that they will secure the job they want due to their indiscriminate approach. Disappointment is highly likely to follow. 

If you find that you are this kind of job seeker, remember that employers want to feel that their position is the only one you really want. An indiscriminate approach will not show them this. It also won’t show them that you are the best person for the job. 

Take time to tailor your CV for each job and stop the spam!

The Undercover Agent

It can be easy for this job seeker to feel embarrassed by using their achievements to promote them as a candidate. However, this does not help their application as their skills can often be so well hidden that the employer does not see them. 

Admittedly, you will not come across as a person who is full of themselves. Unfortunately, it will not stand to you if the employer has to survey your application to understand it.

Remember to value yourself and your abilities as an employee in your CV. This will show the employer that you are confident and know your worth as well as make it easy for them to understand the CV. Don’t be afraid to highlight your skills and achievements. Be proud of them!

The Job Hopper

Job Hopper’s CV is filled with work experience, which is great. However, the jobs are often random and have no correlation to each other. Unfortunately, having so many different jobs in different fields and not a lot of time spent in each job won’t reflect well on you as a candidate for a job. 

Before applying to more jobs, it’s a good idea to really think about what job you want. Be sure to find something you think you’ll stick at and that greatly interests you. There are many ways to secure your dream job. Why not go for it? 

In the meantime, try to reorganise your CV to focus on skills rather than experience. You can also use your cover letter to explain why you are a Job Hopper. You may have a perfectly acceptable reason why you are, so don’t be afraid to say it. 

Pinocchio

This job seeker is always too good to be true. Making it out that you have done everything needed for the job and have all of the necessary qualifications and credentials to go along with it will have the adverse reaction you think it will. 

There are no positives to becoming a Pinocchio job seeker and it can have serious consequences. Should you be found out to be lying, (which you more than likely will), you will have fraudulent misrepresentation on your record. 

Instead of the lies, be honest with your application. Use your legit achievements, skills and work experiences to show who you are as a person. In the end, you’ll only feel like a fool trying to pretend you’re something you are not. 

The Newbie

This isn’t necessarily a bad reflection on you as a candidate. It just means that you have recently left school and have little or no work history in the field you’re applying for. Aside from your youth and energy, there is not much to indicate how you will perform as an employee. An employer takes a chance by taking your CV up. 

Use your application to list any and everything you can. It’s better to have much and be able to edit it down than to have too little. Keep it professional and tell them what you will add to the company.

The Shape Shifter

Instead of upgrading a role in their current job, this job seeker looks to move into a different role or industry. Unfortunately, it is not an easy thing to do. Hiring managers will admire your dedication and passion, but your lack of experience will not stand to you. 

There will be plenty of candidates applying for the same role who have years of experience in the field. Use your CV to explain why you’re interested in moving into this field and how your skills will help you to transition smoothly. 

The Emmental

Finally, this job seeker has many gaps in their CV. Some are by choice while others are a necessity. While these gaps aren’t ideal to employers as they could show you are unreliable, it will show them that this role really appeals to you as a candidate.  

Make sure to have good explanations to the holes in your experience and even list them in your CV. You can also use your cover letter to expand on them if needed. Focus on the skills you’ve learned both during your time working and your career breaks.

Which job seeker are you? Let us know down in the comments!

CVs are essential for landing your dream job. However, cover letters help to reinforce your suitability for the job you’re applying for. Some people may not think they’re relevant, but they are certainly necessary for the job application process. You should always include one, even if it does not specify that it’s needed. Here is how to put the perfect cover letter together. 

Your cover letter is essentially the first page of your CV. In a succinct and clear way, it will explain why you should be invited for an interview. You will be able to show employers that you can express yourself through the written word through a well put together cover letter.

Regardless of what position you’re in when writing the cover letter, for example a part-time worker, student or someone looking for a career change, it’s essential for you to show that you are the perfect fit for their job. Cover letters are a testimony for you by you. 

When creating your cover letter, make sure to use the same grade and colour paper as your CV. Type your letter up and print it out. Only handwrite it if the job description specifically asks for it. 

Try to keep it to one side of an A4 sheet. Write everything in your own words. It’s important to keep your cover letter clear and concise. Try to not repeat what you’ve already said in your CV. Make sure your spelling and grammar are perfect. 

Try to be as engaging as possible and keep the reader interested. Take time to find out the name of the person who will be reading the letter and address it to them. Show that you have some understanding of the company. Suggest reasons why you fit the role. It’s also important to include when you can start. 

The structure of the letter is also important. Generally speaking, if you address it to a person, for example, Ms Murphy, you must end the letter as “Yours sincerely”. However, if you start it with “Dear Sir or Madam”, it needs to end with “Yours faithfully”. 

Start off the letter with the job you’re applying for, where you found the job and when you are available to start. Use the second letter to say why you’re interested in the job and why the company attracts you. 

After this, mention your strengths and how they could add to the organisation and relate your skills and experience to the job. Finally, thank the employer for taking the time to read your application and that you hope to hear from them soon. 

Remember, a poorly written cover letter could cost you your dream job, so it’s essential to take time out to do it properly. 

After this, you’re ready to move on to creating your CV. Check out this post about how to nail your it. 

Got any more tips for us? Let us know down in the comments!

During a job interview, you will want to sell yourself to the employer. Because of this, you won’t want to say anything that may reflect badly on you. However, being honest with your answers may open more doors for you than close them. An example of questions like this is “What are your weaknesses?” 

While there is technically no correct way to answer this question, there is a wrong way. In fact, there are many wrong ways to answer this question. The most common wrong answer is simply not being genuine. Pretending that your weaknesses are not relevant is also not the right way to go about answering this question. 

The first thing to remember is that you’ve been called to an interview based on your CV. This means that the interviewer has read about you and your skillset. They may already have an idea of where your weaknesses lie. Use this time to contextualise them. 

What your CV says could actually help you to answer this question. Focus your weakness on previous experience or gaps in your CV rather than to you as a person. You want to be honest with the employer without putting them off you as a viable candidate. For example, avoid saying that you are stubborn. 

The second thing to consider is the job description. Using one of the key points they’ve listed will show that you’re genuine, as well as showing them that you understand the role. However, be careful not to pick one of the points that could be a dealbreaker. 

However, use step two as a way to move into step three which is to show them that you’re working on them. This will show them that you’re committed to growing as an employee and a person. Lifelong learners are much more attractive to employers than someone who will never aim to do better.

Be confident and honest with your answer. Do not apologies for it as it’s not a confession to the employer. Showing them that improvements are underway will ultimately look better for you. Where possible, finish up your answer with a question. This tactic will steer the conversation back to what you can do. 

Don't let the question intimidate you. No one is perfect, but you can still be the perfect person for the job. 

Certain answers may add a red flag to your interview.

Phrases like this will make you sound insincere. Do not use the “perfectionist” line or tell them that you work “too hard”. Avoid lines that may make you seem hard to work with such as getting frustrated with others who don’t pull their weight or that you sweat the small stuff. Don’t say that you don’t have any and definitely don’t say anything that has no relevance to the job.

Got any more advice? Let us know down in the comments. Next, check out our list of questions you might be asked in your interview here!