Finding work in a tough market

About me

Having spent a large part of my working life assessing, recruiting, training and supporting people of all levels in their roles I feel qualified to write this blog to help you in your approach to finding work in a tough market. Please note that personally I am not a recruiter, however my career has involved the review of thousands of CV’s, countless interviews, position and salary negotiations and the ongoing training and support of successful candidates. Furthermore, I have written and delivered training programmes related to Quality Assurance and Software Testing that have furthered the careers of thousands of testing professionals globally.

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So, that said, if the below makes sense and helps you then maybe one day you can return the favour by helping someone else.

Your CV

There are many good CV templates out there, some of which mandate that your resume should be no more than 2 pages, others can have it at several. The trick here is to make it relevant to what you are applying for and where it is. I’m not saying that you need to make things up, but you can focus it on the skills, experiences and domains required. If your CV is several pages long, maybe condense or even remove the most historical entries.

Tenure

As an employer, it’s good to see applicants with solid engagements on their CV’s. Two-to-three-year periods are good as it shows you can commit to something, and you’ve likely undertaken several roles or projects within an organisation. If your CV is full of multiple roles lasting only a few months there are going to be questions about why.

Spelling and Grammar

You have all the time you need to create and manage your CV. Please spell and grammar check it and then read it again to ensure it reads and flows well. If you are emailing or messaging on LinkedIn, then spelling and grammar are even more important as it’s usually the first impression an employer will have of you. Make it count.

Expectations

It's important to align expectations. If you have 15 years of experience but you are applying for a role that’s asking for 8 years, then be prepared to get an offer commensurate with that level of experience.

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A contract day rate does not convert to an annual salary package at “rate x days”. A contractor can attract a higher day rate as they have little job security, no sick or holiday leave and must find their own work. An employee on the other hand, will typically have all of this and a career path and a lot more stability. A perm employee will therefore seem to earn much less than a contractor and your lifestyle and risk appetite will play a large factor in what you choose.

Role alignment

If you see a role advertised and you know you are not a match for it, either due to geography, skills, experience or domain then don’t apply for it. The hiring manager will be sifting through many relevant applications and the more you do this the more you’ll be noticed in a bad way!

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On the other hand, if you think you are almost a match then write an articulate cover note and explain why you think you should be considered. This may help you, and if it doesn’t, at least you may have made a good impression that could help you in other ways.

Effort

If all you are going to do is fire off a CV as an attachment or write “interested” on a LinkedIn post, don’t expect anyone to get back to you. Read the advert or post and then do what it asks, if it's asked for a cover note, ensure you include one or else it's an easy rejection. Non-compliant applications are very easy to discount no matter how good you may be. For me, a good application is always accompanied by a personally written cover letter explaining why you are good for the role as this not only demonstrates you understand the role advertised, but you’ve applied yourself and shown the employer a glimpse of who you are.

Training and Certification

There are many training courses and certifications applicable to virtually all jobs and industries. Demonstrate that you are committed to yours through training and attaining relevant certifications.

Interviews

I know times have moved on and we are living in a more relaxed world in terms of appearance and dress, however, please take pride in how you come across:

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If you are online:

·      Make sure your background is appropriate, if you don’t have a graphics background don’t be in front of your washing!

·      Position the camera so you are well framed

·      Find a quiet place to talk

·      Dress professionally

·      Test your connection and microphone before hand

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If you are meeting face to face

·      Make eye contact

·      Dress professionally

·      Put your phone away

·      Sit up

Getting a permanent job or a contract is often at odds of hundreds to one. If you are serious about your next role, surely it’s in your interests to reduce those odds as much as you can?

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