Career Support

This is fun research for you to do while you are studying and before you are ready to apply for new jobs.

There are thousands of jobs advertised on job boards. Which ones are relevant to you? A hiring organisation will choose you if they think you will add the greatest value. Your value lies in your strengths, traits, skills and qualifications.

Our aim is to turn you into a highly effective jobseeker who stands out in the job market. The first step is for you to do research into the type of jobs you want to apply for and for you to answer the following questions:

1. What type of jobs will value your traits, skills and qualifications?
2. What organisations are recruiting near you?
3. What are dream organisations you would love to work for?
4. What is your value in the job market?
5. What are your strengths, traits, skills and qualifications?
6. What do hiring companies want to see on your CV?
7. What message does your current CV give to hiring managers?
8. What is your 2 year career goal?
9. What is your 5 year career goal?

It is very important to think about these questions, do research and then clearly write down these answers. This information will help you work smartly and it will help us when preparing your CV and LinkedIn profile.

Estimated time required for phase 1: 5 hours plus

Congratulations, you have now passed your official exam and are ready for step 2. Once you have passed your official exam/s, you can apply for:

1. An initial consultation with our Recruitment Advisors to review your research and answers to questions in step 1
2. A professional CV review which is industry specific
3. A professional LinkedIn profile

In most cases, a hiring manager or HR, decides to interview you or not interview you for a job vacancy based purely on the strength or weakness of your CV or LinkedIn profile without knowing you or ever having spoken to you. It is crazy if you think about it, but that is the reality of it!

There are many great jobseekers out there who struggle to secure interviews simply because of their CV. We will provide you with a professional CV and LinkedIn profile that:

• Helps you stand out against peers
• Is professional and well structured
• Creates the right impression
• Highlights your skills and qualifications
• Is search friendly and well key worded

Building your brand is key to ensuring you stand out in the job market. It is important for you to take responsibility for your brand and the job-hunting process.

Estimated time required for phase 2: 5 hours plus

Now that you have qualified, have a CV and LinkedIn profile that stands out, it is time to create a plan to secure interviews in the most efficient way. In step 1 you researched the job market and jobs suitable to your strengths, skills, traits and qualifications. Now you need to plan how to apply to the jobs you have identified so you can attract the attention of hiring managers and stand out from the many applicants applying for the same role.

Putting yourself in the shoes of a busy recruiting manager who has many CVs to sift through, will help you tailor your approach to ensure:

1. You read the job adverts carefully and understand the essential and desirable requirements before applying
2. You tailor each job application with a cover email/ application letter
3. You engage warmly and positively with the hiring manager
4. You follow up to get feedback regarding your suitability

At this stage of the process, you will also ensure:

1. You fully understand why a quality job application helps get the attention of a hiring manager
2. You understand why a good CV together with a tailored introduction/cover letter is more likely to get a positive response

Reasons why a company may hire you

Your qualifications will validate your skills and your dedication to your career. Qualifications also demonstrate to a company that you are eager to learn and take your career seriously. Organisations see a qualified candidate as a safer choice who is more likely to hit the ground running and be successful in the role.

In addition to qualifications, one company may hire you purely because of your traits or strengths while another organisation will hire you because of your sector background and skills. Take this into consideration when choosing which jobs to apply for.

Estimated time required for phase 3: ongoing

Your recruitment pack will provide you with interview tips. Ensure you understand the basics of mastering an interview:

1. Research the company well
2. Prepare questions to ask
3. Think about questions they will ask you
4. Understand the job description well
5. Always be a bit early
6. Dress professionally
7. Engage well and listen
8. Answer questions clearly
9. Ask questions also and be interested in them
10. Be positive and warm

Understand what it is like to be a busy line manager

Most managers are busy people that have a job to do in addition to managing a team. What do smart managers look for when they are recruiting a new member to their team? A busy manager knows he is busy and is under pressure from his boss to ensure his team delivers month in month out. Therefore, smart managers are careful when recruiting. They are going to look at the following when making a choice about hiring a new team member:

1. Does the interviewee have qualifications to validate their skills?
2. Are they easy to manage?
3. Will they be productive quickly?
4. Are they reliable and honest?
5. Will they be an ambassador for the department?
6. Are they eager to learn and grow?
7. Will they fit in with the rest of the team?
8. Will they be loyal to the company?
9. Are they able to get to their work location easily?

When you understand what managers look for then you will understand what questions they ask in an interview and why they ask those questions. This will help you better prepare for interviews and have a better idea of what to expect.

With our help in step 2 together with you following steps 1 to 4 diligently, you will acquire the skills needed to be an effective jobseeker who knows how to apply to jobs in the right way, can secure interviews and masters the interview process. This all takes work and effort on your part, but these are skills for life imperative for your career.

Estimated time required for phase 4: ongoing