1. Keep Positive
My years in recruitment have taught me that everything can change with one call or email. And things do. All the time.
Looking for your next contract can be a difficult and draining, it's only made harder if you're not keeping a positive objective mindset.
2. Forget scattergun
Identify one or two recruiters who specialise in your sector. Build a relationship with them, rather than having quick, anonymous conversations with tens of consultants who don't necessarily specialise in your sector. It's much more likely that a specialist in your sector will have relevant roles.
3. Getting the most out of your recruiter
Can they be proactive for you?
Can they send you on spec as well as keeping you posted with roles?
Do they know all of your search parameters?
Do they know that you’d consider contract work in other geographical areas because you have family/friends there?
Do they know the daily rate range which you'd be happy to accept contracts within?
4. Job Alerts
Sign up for as many job alerts as possible, it saves you all of the time trawling online for adverts, and means you’ll hear about roles at the start of the process rather than half way through.
5. Be Objective - where can you improve improve your process?
Not finding roles?
Are there other sites and sources you can search? Sector specific sites? Ask colleagues where they are looking.
Applying but not hearing back?
Is your CV doing it’s job? Is it ‘selling you'? Think of your CV as a press release rather than overloading too much information in there. The purpose of the CV is to secure an interview, not the job itself.
Especially important for Comms professionals - proof read your CV. Copy writing is a key component of many comms roles, make sure your writing skills come across in your CV. As a Comms Recruiter - I can not emphasise this enough.
Are there contact details in the advert? If so, use them. Arrange a quick informal chat with the hiring manager before submitting your application. Get beyond the advert - what do they want in a candidate? what are their current challenges etc? It's also a good way to build some initial rapport and stand out from other candidates.
Securing interviews but no success?
Ask for specific feedback from the interviewer and recruiter. Why where they not convinced? Were there any questions in their mind which you could have answered? Did they have any concerns? Were there skills you don't have? Once you find out, find a way to address it. Focus on what you can control.
I hope this helps.
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