Today we have a guest post by Nikki, who has set up a company called My CV and ME. Basically they help candidates land their perfect job, by helping with the writing of your CV, interview coaching, assessment centre coaching and career coaching. So when she asked if she could write a guest post, I thought why not so long as it is beneficial to my readers of course.

So if you have just found yourself unemployed then these 10 top tips will certainly get you on the right track.

10 Ways to Jump Start Your Job Search

With more competition than ever for jobs, here’s some advice on what is currently working for job seekers. My CV and Me spoke to 100 ex-job seekers to discover how they found a job.

Here are the results:

Personal Contact/Networking 40%

Half of all jobs are not advertised anywhere. Companies advertise internally on notice boards, the intranet or they take on people who have already contacted them. Ask friends and family to let you know about jobs that are advertised where they work. Many companies have an Employee Referral Programme where your friends or family can earn some money for referring you.

Job Boards/Social Networking Sites 29%

With so many different online job boards, it is important to make sure you choose the most relevant to your industry. You should keep checking regularly to see if there are any suitable jobs and apply as soon as you can. Online applications are only accepted for a very short time. By registering your details on a job board you could be informed about any new jobs straight away.

Job seekers also know that tapping into social and professional networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn connect you to contacts that might be the key to your next job. Facebook lists job opportunities and you can join groups to find people with common interests and to network with them.  You can also use Twitter to search for someone who works at a company you are interested in or to search for recruiters.

Recruitment Agencies 12%

You should sign up with several agencies, preferably those which specialise in your industry. If they specialise in your industry they should be able to give you some valuable inside information on the state of the job market. They will be able to tell you what sort of jobs they would consider you for and the likely salary range. You should also ask them to give you feedback on your CV.

Adverts in Newspapers 5%

National papers normally focus on different professional areas each day of the week. For example The Guardian on a Monday is a good place for secretarial, media and creative vacancies. Check out the Evening Standard for business and secretarial positions, Metro and Loot for lower level jobs. Advertised jobs in the national papers, often attract 100s of applicants so do not spend all of your time applying to just these jobs.

Events/Career Fairs 4%

Career fairs usually have a range of employers and concentrate on a specific sector.  It is worth speaking to companies directly before you attend to try and book in an interview. Find out the recruiter’s name so you know who is responsible for hiring new staff and can look out for them.
Trade Journals 3%

Professional and trade journals advertise jobs and also bring you up to date with current issues – always a good talking point at interviews. Subscription is often free if you are already in the industry. There will also be news on which companies are expanding and you could approach these companies directly.

Blogs 3%

Recently larger blogs have started to integrate job banks into their own websites. You can use these blobs to track employees that work at a company you’re interested in.

Online CV database 2%

By registering on a CV database you could be head hunted by employers straight away. Make sure that you keep your CV and contact information up to date, as you never know when an employer may decide to contact you. However ex-job seekers reported that they received quite a lot of calls about irrelevant jobs too.

Jobcentres 1%

Jobcentres are in every town and focus mainly on jobs for non-professionals. They have databases of local vacancies and their advisers can help you with finding work.

Speculative Applications 1%

If you are interested in a specific company, you can send a speculative application although this has a very low success rate. The employer may keep your CV on file until a relevant job comes up.

Conclusion

You’ll increase your chances of finding your dream job if you make it as easy as possible for employers to find you. Therefore, it makes sense to use multiple strategies. When you have found an job you would like to apply for, your CV and cover letter will be crucial for getting interviews. My CV and Me offer high quality CVs, cover letters and interview coaching.

A guest post by Nikki, founder of CV writing company My CV and Me.