Get Started With Your Job Search

Get Started On Your Job Search

Can we in one page help you get started on your job search? I believe so. Here you will find all the basic information required to get started on your job search.

Get Started With Your Job Search

Starting on job search can be confusing

Starting up with anything is always difficult. Whether it be your thesis, project report, business, or the first day in the gym. Compared to that, starting with a job search is comparatively easy. One might think all you need is a CV and a Cover Letter, and you’re ready to go.

That idea of the job search is so 1900s. As a young jobseeker that idea is almost pre-historic. Recruitment has moved on; there is a lot more information available but it is useless, unless you make a move to explore what your job search will be made up of, the obstacles you will face and the technology behind the systems that you send your job applications to.

Here are some of the basic resources to help you get started on your job search.

Download a FREE CV Template From Us

First things first: at some point during the job search one of the things you will require is a CV. It isn’t the only thing you will require but having a CV is important. Now, the CV is like a website to an employer that provides them with information about you. That’s why the content/information within your CV is really important.

A lot of jobseekers struggle writing a CV, so we decided to chip in and created two different CV templates that you can download for FREE and get started on your job search. With more than 8000 downloads of the CV template, be rest assured it is used by many.

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Build Your LinkedIn Profile In 60 Minutes

We have been able to influence a lot of our readers to start a profile on LinkedIn. It is your professional gateway to recruiters and recruiting agents around the world.

If you’re still thinking that LinkedIn is only for those that already have jobs, think again. LinkedIn is a professional network with recruiters constantly looking for jobseekers to fill positions. In the end, it is a searchable database and not being on it means you’re seriously missing out. By being on LinkedIn you are showing an online resume and character for yourself.

how to create linkedin profile

You can Get started on LinkedIn in 7 easy steps and in 30-60 mins have a full-fledged LinkedIn profile up and running.

You can connect with me, Faizan Patankar on LinkedIn. This way you won’t feel the pressure of having zero connections at first. Once you connect with me I can have a look at your profile and suggest improvements/review, if you ask me.

To find out more about how LinkedIn works you can see this infographic.

The reason LinkedIn comes right after your CV is that you can use the dates, job titles, experience information, etc. from your CV on LinkedIn, without putting in too much effort in the first instance. Of course, you can improve your profile later.

Know The Key Dates Of Employer Recruitment

You can have the best CV and LinkedIn profile, but they’d be pretty useless if you don’t actually put them to good use. A lot of the time when a student or graduate tells me they are sorting out their CV to apply for a position at XYZ company, my first question is, “When does the company stop recruiting?”.

Why do I ask that?

Because I want to know if you know the key dates in the recruitment cycle for that company. Every company publishes a deadline date for every job opportunity they offer. If you don’t know that date, then it may be that you will be late and all your effort goes to waste. I know CVs are re-useable but believe me – a knock-back like that gets you down. I have been through a few of those myself.

Anyway, one way to keep track of major application deadlines for UK companies is by following this calendar. It is a graduate job and internship deadline calendar by Graddiary.

Alternatively, or if the company you want to work for is not on that calendar, always note down the deadline date for the jobs that catch your eye. Having this little piece of information will also help you prioritise where you need to put your efforts, if you have multiple job applications open.

To get you started, here are some useful links: Links To Get Started In JobSearch

1. The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers (Registration required, FREE)

2. Guardian Britain’s Top Employers To Work For (yearly)

3. LinkedIn Graduate Jobs in The UK (constantly updating)

4. Also try Enternships, Gradcracker, UK Fashion Intern to name a few, for job opportunities.

What Is The Job Application Process Like?

Don’t take your graduate job search for granted; in the UK at least it is a process that begins as early as August of the year before the actual job starts.

Here are the steps that are generally relevant to a lot of big graduate recruiters:

1. You apply for a job via the online job application site of the company – How to fill online job applications?

2. You register and complete the job application; usually takes 180-240 minutes. It can be saved and completed in parts.

3. Your application will be either read or scanned by the Applicant Tracking System, at which point it will be determined whether your application will go through to the next stage. – What is an applicant tracking system?

4. Stage 1 – Psychometric tests  – psychometric tests can include numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, or both. There can be other tests, too. Generally, you won’t have more than two tests. It is important that you practice for these in advance.

5. Stage 2 – Telephone interview – if you do relatively well in the psychometric tests, then you will be moved to the first interview stage. This is usually a telephone interview lasting 30-45 mins. This is not necessarily carried out by the recruiter and can be outsourced to agencies. These are pretty basic questions relating to you and the company only. Research is still important. – How to do a telephone interview?

6. Stage 3 – Assessment Centre – this can take anywhere between a day or two. Travel to and stay at assessment centres are paid for by the company, but please ask before you go and follow the process. You can find more details on what happens in an assessment centre here. The final stage is an interview (can be more than one, with different people, usually including a panel interview) – How to conquer Competency based interviews?

And that’s basics of how to get started on your job search done!

These are the resources that will help you get started on your job search. There are other things that you can pick up on once you get started on your job search, including using social media to find opportunities, tips on answering questions better, etc. But first, get your CV perfected and follow all the steps above – they have been tried and tested.

If you have any questions or need any help, simply comment or send us an email and we’ll be happy to help.

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