8 Job Hunting Tips

1/ Executives will usually have a clear picture of where they want to be in their next role but it is always worth thinking hard about what your skills are and what other roles and sectors they could be useful in other than your core target positions. Draw up a list of your skills and think about their transferability. Talk to people you respect to get their view. Maybe consider finding a suitable online test to help you in this process.

2/ Get your CV ready for action. If you are applying for different kinds of roles you will need different CV versions. See my other posts for CV advice and tips.

3/ Ensure your Linkedin profile presents you in the same way as your CV. Consider using the same wording on both to ensure consistency of message. Make sure your profile is complete. Look at your settings and make them as open as possible. Your profile needs a picture, a list of your skills and an intro that sells you properly.

4/ Talk to trusted friends and colleagues. Tell them you are seeking a new position. Many roles are secured by this kind of simple networking exercise. Don’t be shy!

5/ Work on your Linkedin connections; consider upgrading your account and messaging relevant hiring managers explaining that you are job hunting and asking if they can help.

6/ Join relevant Linkedin groups and engage in discussions. Post your own discussions if you can that demonstrate your expertise. Comment on other peoples discussions. Prove you are an expert!

7/ Register on relevant job boards, send your CV to a few reputable agencies, use the Linkedin jobs search feature, read relevant specialist jobs boards and magazines. Set yourself a target for the number of applications to make each week and stick to it. Think hard about your covering emails. I favour covering letters/emails that are short and to-the-point – three short paragraphs should be enough.

8/ Get interview practice; read about typical questions and plan your answers. Think about how to present yourself and your situation. What messages are you hoping to convey? Plan what you will say in an interview situation. Get a friend to listen to your answers and to watch your body language – we can all benefit from feedback on how we present ourselves.

Good luck! DJMRO is a new concept in career advice for telecoms, technology and mining executives. Senior job-seekers: looking for a new role in Telecoms, Technology or Mining? Contact DJMRO to discuss how we can help you find a new challenge. DJMRO offers senior, professional CV-writing services as well as two unique careers packages for executive job-seekers; Individually-tailored CV Marketing Campaigns and DJMRO Career Boost. See my Linkedin profile and www.djmro.com for more info.