Follow My Top 5 Tips to Guarantee You Get a New Job

That's it, you've had enough and it's finally time for you to take action and get yourself out of the hell hole you call work. The writing is on the wall and it is time to get your finger out and do something about it.

Now I am not going to tell you how to suck egg's, but.... actually I am because when you hate your job taking that first step seems like such a mammoth task, when in actual fact it's not if you break things down into smaller more manageable tasks. I personally used to get a mental block when it came to making a start on my CV when looking for a new job. I would put things off and that in itself only makes matters worse. Take that first step, even if it's a tiny step. After several small steps, the wheel starts to turn and then you will gather momentum. Before you know it you will be out interviewing and the job offers will come flooding in.

Sort out your CV

Working on your CV is a laborious task and one I used to dread. I would put it off time and time again, and before I knew it a week would turn into a month, sometimes longer. Yet I was no closer to getting it finished. You've been here, right?

So, my advice is to aim for a bullet point each day. Most CV's consist of a short summary of your job role followed by several bullet points. Forget the summary to start with as that is much easier to compile when you've listed the bullet points. If you can do more than great but aim for one a day, get a win, make progress and you'll feel better for it. Before you know it your CV will be ready to send out to prospective employers and recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies

In most cases, you will have to deal with recruitment agencies. No one likes to deal with fuck wits but look at it as a life experience. Character building. A piece of advice I would offer is, do not get despondent if they fail to call you back, fail to read your CV properly, fail to turn up on time for a meeting or fail to get back to you with feedback after an interview. I have seen peoples confidence get crushed by arrogant demoralising recruitment consultants. I briefly worked in the industry myself and I hated it for the best part. There are some decent firms out there but not many. Admittedly the service they offer does differ depending on what sector you work in. But overall they are fuck wits!

Top Tip - You will most likely get calls from agencies who pretend to be your best friend with the promise of having "lots of exciting roles" More often or not this is bullshit. It is a tactic they use to obtain information from you about jobs you are interviewing for, or have been put forward for. Basically, they will then go and fuck you over by approaching those firms and try to put forward their own candidates. They will tell you it's so they don't put your CV forward to a firm that already has it, but it's utter crap. When they ask what companies you have seen or are due to see just tell them you have only just started looking and haven't been put forward to any roles yet. Don't be surprised if they end the call pretty sharpest and the so called "exciting jobs" they have never materialise. 

Contact potential companies directly

Most companies hate the recruitment process just as much as you do. Especially having to deal with recruitment agencies, not only because of their incompetence but also because of the fee's they charge. Make a list of potential companies you would like to work for and send over your CV along with a brief cover letter. Go one better and call them up and ask for details of the person who deals with the recruitment process. The personal touch can go a long way when looking for a new job. Just be fully prepared when you make the call because you might actually get through to the business owner or person in charge of recruiting as I did on more than one occasion. That initial call could well turn out into a telephone interview so be prepared, confident and ready to sell yourself. 

Dress/Attire

This should be a no brainer and yet time and time again people continue to get it wrong. Presentation to me is an early insight into the person themselves. I am not saying you need to be dressed head to toe in Paul Smith or Armani. However, clean, polished and presentable is absolutely essential. I once went against my better judgment and employed a scruffy guy who turned up with a shirt that once upon a time I assume was white. He wore a suit that had seen better days and his shoes were dirty. Fast forward a month into the role and it was apparent his lack of effort wasn't just confined to his wardrobe. He turned up late, was messy, unorganised and his attention to detail was non-existent. I vowed then to always go with my gut instinct.

Another worthy note is to find out exactly what attire is required for the interview and not just assume. Simply asking what's expected won't go against you at all. It will save you the embarrassment of turning up all done up to the nines in a suit and tie only to find out other candidates are in trousers and a shirt. It will put you on the back foot and make you self-conscious. That said, even if there is no dress code and everyone is bowling around in Air Max 90s and skinny jeans, I would still turn up in shoes, trousers and a shirt. It shows professionalism and intent. Nail the job first and then break out the Russel Brands!

Remember it's a numbers game

Don't get despondent if you apply for jobs and don't hear back. This could happen for any number of reasons and not because you aren't good enough. Many recruitment agencies advertise spoof jobs in order to build up their candidate database, some companies may, in fact, look at your CV and experience and think you are too good or over qualified for the role they are recruiting for. And sometimes it purely comes down to sending your CV in too late. When you're feeling down and desperate for a new job it's easy to take things to heart and let it knock your confidence. Just remember things happen for a reason and the key is to persist and keep taking action. My biggest piece of advice is to remember you attract what you seek and don't lower your standards just because things don't go your way straight away. 

Do you know someone who might find this information useful? Why not send it on and share it with them. Or maybe you have a question? Feel free to leave a comment and I'll get back to you.  

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