Effective Ways to Make Yourself More Employable

While the unemployment rate is steadily improving, you may want to change career, get a promotion, or get your dream job. So while there may be a larger pool of jobs, there is still a fairly large number of job seekers for each position. So in order to be in with more of a chance to get your dream job, then you need to be the pick of the bunch. Because there will be more than one person applying for the job, employers can be picky about who they choose. So looking for ways to make yourself more employable are good things to be looking at, especially if you want a new job or to switch to something else. Here are some tips to consider if you want to make yourself more employable.

image

Cookie-Cutter Resumes Don’t Work

If you are applying for a job, then you need to make your application, including your resume, suitable for the role you are applying for. If you just send over a generic cover letter and resume, then it doesn’t look good to the recruiter. You need to be specific about your skills and how they match the job role, as well as including relevant experience and skills that will help you to do the job well. You want your application to stand out from the crowd, and if you have not spent time on it and not put any effort into it, it really will show.

Educate Yourself

Some job roles you are applying for will need specific formal qualifications. If you want to get into a field like that, then it does pay to go back to school. A lot of roles won’t require formal qualifications necessarily. However, having a knowledge in the area can be just as important. You could do a course in the area you’re looking to get into or further reading around the area. Even studying something more generic like productivity tips can make you more employable. So make a note of the things you have been reading up on and the things you learn. Be sure to talk about them at an interview if relevant.

Get Social

Having an online presence can be an important part of you getting a job or not. First of all, if you are already online, what can employers already see about you? One thing a potential employer is likely to do, is to look at your social media profiles, especially if conduct and behaviour is important to the role, such as childcare. So check your privacy settings online and think about what you have posted on there; is it appropriate? Next, build up a presence online if you don’t already. Getting on a site like LinkedIn could be a good way to find jobs or at least contacts in the industry. People can look for people to hire on jobs like that too, so it can be worth being on there as you could get ‘headhunted’ that way.

Practice Interview Skills

Nailing a job interview is an important part of the interview process. No matter how much you have dazzled them during the application, if you don’t have a good interview or don’t come across well, then it could cost you the position. By now you are likely to know some generic interview questions like why should we hire you? While it is good to have answers for this kind of thing, it pays to do your research into the company too. Read press releases and visit their website, for instance. It shows you have a real interest in the company and in the job role, which can only ever be a good thing. If you really struggle being interviewed, then practice! Ask friend or relatives to help you by asking questions in a mock-interview setting, for instance. You are likely to know someone who recruits and interviews people as part of their job role. Practice makes perfect and can help to ease stress around the situation.

Be Flexible

If you go into a interview with a really rigid mindset, then it can hinder your chances of a job. If you won’t accept below a certain salary or working conditions, then it could affect your chances. Of course, it depends what you’re looking for. But some flexibility is likely to lead to a new job sooner rather than later. So think about a salary range perhaps, and talk about development within the role, for example. It can all help and make you look more positive and enthusiastic too.