The first thing to know is that you must not panic; skills are in demand in all markets, and that includes markets in uncertain times. Equally, don’t fall into the trap of “better the devil you know”; if the employer you work for now is the proverbial devil, you are definitely in the wrong place.
So here are our tips for how to job seek in uncertain markets.
1
Don’t scatter your CV too far and wide. Employers have access to some of the CV databases that recruiters do. Your CV turning up everywhere is a sign of desperation, not a sign of a quality person being on the job market.
2
Have a plan of where and how to get a new job and then build your approach to suit. That means working with the right recruiter, as well as making sure your CV highlights the skills you want to sell and sets out the benefits you can offer a company. Then it’s just a case of being patient with your approach.
3
In all markets, there are growth sectors and growth companies, which means there are also solid growth prospects. As such, you may well have to consider roles outside your comfort zone. For example, if you have always been a PA in a bank, you may now need to consider West End Media agencies. So be prepared to do something new.
4
Be ready to be flexible. It has been said that employers seek out an advantage in uncertain or down markets. That can mean being selective with who is hired or loading job specifications with more tasks. To get the job you want, you may need to do more than you currently do.
5
Make sure you research fully who you are going to see and the employer you are going to interview with. When working with a recruiter, make sure they know this information and pass it on to you; if they don’t have it, then make them get it for you.
6
Make sure you follow up with your recruiter; they are your window to the employment world. Recruiters are often inundated with work, and you can slip out of view unintentionally. They are only human, so make sure you keep your name at the top of their list.
7
Draw on your connections; sometimes jobs come purely from referrals, so make sure you network with who you know. If your network can’t help you directly, for example by having a word with their boss, then they may be able to tip off your recruiter to what their boss may want. The reason we make this point is that many recruiters build a marketing list for principal candidates and pitch them to employers on spec. This can be an excellent way to create employment as it were. The list of who to call can be compiled by you as well as the recruiter.
8
Temp jobs are not dead ends. A temporary role may be a simple way to find long term employment, or a reliable recession-busting career of its own. Employers might have hiring feeds, but creative companies often divert funds from other budgets to hire temps – temps who are kept on for months or maybe years!
9
Don’t take the first job offered unless it's one Morgan Spencer found you! No, seriously; even if it is a job found by us, make sure you take the job you want and that it fits with your needs. Naturally, if you are unemployed, you must assess your immediate needs, but the wrong job can easily lead to no job again in a very short time.
10
When you present yourself at the interview, make sure you highlight the ways in which you can benefit the company, and ensure that you build rapport with your interviewer. People are hired because they can improve an employer’s talent pool, but they are mostly employed because they have the required skills and the employer thinks that they can work with the person.