Sea change, tree change, itching for any change?
Time for something new? Feeling stuck in a rut? Before you jump online to hunt for roles, it’s important to make sure all your metaphorical ducks are in a row.
Peoplebank’s Neelam Lata has some key tips for candidates to help you prepare for change and put your best foot forward:
1. Upskill in your spare time. Use sites like LinkedIn, Google Skillshop, Corsera, NZTech, or SkillsNZ to help develop your skills and get yourself certified. This way, even if you don’t have the years of experience on your CV, your potential employer will be able to see that you are dedicated to your field and willing to learn.
2. Be patient. If you are halfway through a project, think about staying to finish it until completion. Longevity plays well on your CV, and it will look more positive if you have stayed to see the project through to the end rather than leaving halfway through.
3. Highlight your project experience. When you are about to apply for something new, make sure to expand on key project experience that is relevant to the role you are applying for. This will help hiring managers to see your relevant experience.
4. Utilise LinkedIn. Make sure to keep your LinkedIn profile, experience, recommendations, and connections up to date. Using keywords in your profile will help you appear when recruiters and hiring managers are using LinkedIn to search for appropriate talent.
5. Be open to opportunity. Sick of pesky LinkedIn InMails? Maybe have a read of them occasionally. They could have your ideal opportunity in them, just waiting to be opened by you. It doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to read and respond to an email or an InMail, and it could benefit you immensely in the long run. Similarly, make sure you respond to any messages you receive from recruiters and hiring managers, even if it’s just to say thanks but no thanks.
6. Be open and honest. Especially in a candidate-short market, if you are serious about looking for something new, you may end up in the position where you have offers from multiple companies. In this case, make sure you are honest with hiring managers and recruiters about your situation. If you are considering other options, tell them. It will allow them to make a counteroffer if they can, or help you negotiate the best opportunity for your career.
7. Do your due diligence. This is an oldie but a goodie. Make sure you do your research on the company you are interviewing or applying with. It will make you look like you really want the job, but also give you an insight into what the company is actually like and help you to ask great questions from the hiring manager or interviewer.
8. Prepare, prepare, prepare. When interviewing, think of specific examples for projects you have worked on, problems you have solved, times you have prioritised work in stressful situations, etc. This will help you feel prepared, but also show the interviewers you have thought about your answers.
9. Always think ahead. What are your long-term career goals? Will moving roles help or hinder this goal? Could a sidestep help you get further in the long run? If you are unsure about your career goals, get in touch with a recruiter, this is something we specialise in!
10. Be a sponge. Finally, if you do shift roles or specialties, be a sponge and soak up as much information and learning opportunities as you can. This will show you are willing to learn, open to opportunities, and not closed off to other ideas or practices.
Thinking about making a shift? Talk to us now.