Seriously, the number of articles at the start of a New Year that are titled: ‘New Year, New You’ astound me. But then again, I read them. There’s something to be said about wanting to re-invent yourself at the start of a new year with a mindset of: ‘This year will be different! This year will be better.’ To be honest, if you are wanting a new job, the statistics are on your side: Australia is experiencing record low levels of unemployment.

Where the rubber hits the road is about breaking down a goal into manageable actions that will deliver the result you want. If you are wanting to change jobs this year, here are some ‘things that we recommend you do:

Use the time wisely
While the rest of the population is hitting the beach and generally unwinding, get a head start on the competition by setting some time aside to clarify the next step in your career. When you are looking for a new job, you need to be clear about the type of role and the company you are seeking. Here are some areas to think about:
• Where have you experienced success? Which type of role will build on this?
• What projects and industries should you be exposed to?
• What level of responsibility are you wanting?
• Which social channels represent your work achievements? Are these up to date?
• Is your Resume an accurate reflection of your work experience?

Determine your USP
What value can you add to an employer that is significantly different to other people? Just as products and services have a unique selling point (USP) used to position them effectively against competitors, so too do candidates. The most effective USP’s are in areas of growth and/or are difficult to find. Finding and marketing your USP effectively can go a long way to securing your dream job.

Have more conversations
Having casual conversations with people inside and outside your network is an opportunity to really consolidate your thinking and get the message out that you are open to new roles. Quite often, new opportunities can open that you heard about ‘from a friend of a friend.’ Ensure the conversations are casual, not desperate and happen naturally.

Personality is (mostly) everything
The good news is, turns out that most employers are looking for a candidate with the right personality fit for their company. Are you like me and spend hours cross referencing selection criteria with relevant examples of your work history? While this is still an important exercise and great preparation for ‘out of left field’ questions, turns out that many employers are looking for a pleasant candidate that will be a good fit for the team: Being perceived as friendly can often be more important than being perceived as competent. Studies have shown that in order to get your dream job, going out of your way to be “pleasant” is more important than qualifications and experience (C.A. Higgins and T.A. Judge 2004, Journal of Applied Psychology).

Want to talk through your job hunting strategy with a recruitment expert? Speak to the recruitment team at Flexi Personnel.