It is arguably a crowded market for jobseekers at 7% unemployment, down from 7.6% at the 2020 peak in July.  So how do you effectively capture the attention of a hiring manager who is busy reading through hundreds and even thousands of Resume’s and Cover Letters?  Here are 4 strategies that can help you get noticed and hopefully shortlisted for a role.

Develop a strong online presence

We speak with jobseekers daily who have secured new roles through employers reaching out via LinkedIn.  Additionally, this is also a key strategy we implement as recruiters when seeking niche talent.  This means that it’s now more important than ever to have a strong online presence.  LinkedIn is a key platform to showcase your skillset and thought leadership on topics that matter to your industry and community.  Some strategies to implement include:

• Writing articles and asking for contributions from your community
• Attending relevant virtual events that allow for peer-to-peer networking
• Harnessing the power of LinkedIn Live to position your skillset

Volunteer

Spending some of your available time volunteering with an industry-aligned community group is a useful way to build relationships with individuals in your network.  Additionally, if you have had time out of the paid workforce, it’s an excellent vehicle to demonstrate your skillset to the broader community and in an interview situation, you can talk about meaningful project work rather than just ‘I was looking for a job’. Stay up to date with market trends ??? this sentence not finished??

Network

The old adage of ‘your network is your net worth’ is certainly true.  However, a network is something that you cultivate on an ongoing basis, not just ‘when you need it’.  So that means sharing relevant content on social platforms, ‘checking in’ on friends and associates in person and via social channels and providing a lot of value to those individuals in your network.  When the time comes for some help or assistance, they will be too happy to assist you.

Staying up to date with current trends

If you are out of the workforce, it’s the perfect time to read, discuss, join forums and learn as much as you can about the trends in your industry and some of the key players.  This will keep your mind active and this information can always be peppered throughout an interview to demonstrate how seriously you take your professional development and learning.

For more job hunting tips, speak to the Recruitment team at Flexi Personnel.