Job hunting is a painful process. And with the onset of AI processes, it has become even more soul destroying, even if it has taken away some of the grunt work. If you are seeking new challenges, and have recently brushed down and updated your CV, launching yourself back out onto the open market at the mercy of every recruitment agency in the land, then you will soon start to understand the pain that so many feel.
Getting through the first hurdle
Getting noticed these days is a lesson in understanding artificial intelligence and the way in which algorithms can be manipulated. While your CV would normally be a representation of who you are, today it needs to be able to go through an automatic screening process with the insertion of relevant keywords increasing your opportunities to be seen by the right people.
If your CV is not written in the correct, optimized, manner, it will slip under the radar. So if you have found that you have not been getting interviews despite you’re the job description being exactly what you know you can do, then this is probably why.
We recommend that you get your CV rewritten professionally by an agency who has a particular interest in your niche. They will have the right combinations of terminology that is picked up by recruitment algorithms and those invitations to interview will soon start flooding in.
Be professional on social media
Are your social media pages full of old pictures of you knocking back the booze and ‘larging’ it up on raucous holidays? Or are you deliberately provocative politically, indulging in regular trolling of others based on their views and opinions.
If so, you need to tidy up your feed straight away. Recruiters will always check out your socials to verify your identity and get a grasp on who you are as a person. If what they see is off-putting, or at odds with the values they are seeking, then you are not going to get a sniff of an opportunity.
Clean up your social media, and only post generic information that highlights your positive traits and gives an insight into your overall personality.
Always think about your personal presentation
Even if the initial interview is a virtual one, make sure that you dress as though you were going to go into their premises in person. Shirt, jacket, tie, cufflinks – your pride in your appearance should be as strong as ever, and it will make you feel much more confident and in control during the interview.
Go in prepared
The more preparation you put in before the interview, the more you will overcome any difficult questions or obstacles. You’ll be able to relax and enjoy the process.
Research the company you are interviewing with, understand what it is they do, what they expect of you, how you can bring expertise to their benefit. Where relevant, highlight any past experience you have, with positive results that relate directly to the job you are interviewing for. Quantify those achievements where possible, acknowledging learnings and highlighting how you grew from the experience.
Prepare some questions beforehand. By expressing genuine interest in the company you will find a common point of interest and connection with your interviewer.
Should you follow up an interview?
Absolutely. By following up on an interview within 24 hours not only will your interest in the position be underlined, but it places you back under the eyes of the interviewer who might have gone through a few more interviews after yours. The last thing you want to do is fade into the distance, so a short, email followed by a telephone call will cement your continued interest.
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