If you are looking for a job or thinking about moving company, you need to get wise as to how the job market works today. Never has the phrase, "it ain't what you know but who you know that counts," been more relevant. Long gone are the days when job hunting involved waiting for the weekly job supplement in the local paper and sending off a couple of applications. The current job market is more competitive, unpredictable and faster moving than ever before. To keep track and come out a winner, you're going to need a combative and multi-faceted approach; here's how!

Personal branding

It might sound unpleasant but you have to think about yourself as a product or commodity. What is the essence of you? What are the qualities that you want to project? What is your brand identity? You need to be able to define yourself in very specific, marketable terms. Always bare in mind the interviewer 'tie-breaker' question. Faced with two candidates, equal in every respect, why should I choose you?

CV

Your CV should be polished. Make sure information is up to date. Where necessary, customise it to appeal to a particular employer by placing more emphasis on the things that count. Don't just say, 'I did this and then I did that,' but explain the payoff. eg - saving the company $250,000 or reducing absenteeism by 4% etc. If a photo is required, it is worth paying to have it done professionally and not use a happy holiday snap.

Now you are ready to start job hunting; there are basically two strategies and you should use both. The first is the volume approach; the second is targeting.

Play the numbers

Job hunting is a numbers game. Imagine how stupid it would sound if you said, 'I applied for a job once but I didn't get it so I never tried again,' If you extrapolate that idea, the more you apply for, the better your chances. Don't get emotional or downhearted by rejections. Nearly all extremely successful people can relate stories of people who turned them down - even The Beatles! One of the best ways of doing this is to register with recruitment agencies. Don't stick to one but enrol with many. The majority are now free so you really have nothing to lose. Look for websites that post vacancies and write replies to all that you think you have a chance with. Dare to go for a higher job than the one you have.

Get networking

This is the age of social media so get networking. Business based platforms such as Linkedin are fantastic for this purpose and you can

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Tips for an effective job search?
We want to hear your view. Write now!