Recession or is it a depression!?

My friends and colleagues would all tell you my nature is optimistic and positive, however working in recruitment on a daily basis Carolyn, who works with me and me have given up keeping score of how many candidates were ringing the office telling us they had been made redundant.

Interestingly some candidates are still not flexible in their approach to adapting and surviving to today’s volatile environment. We get candidates still insisting that they want the same salary, which was over their market value even in the good times and the job has to be within 20 minutes from home and others are amazing and are willing to travel and re-locate provided they can be given an opportunity to use their skills. Like the dinosaurs who became extinct candidates who refuse to change will remain unemployed possibly for a long time and the longer they remain out of the workplace the harder it is to get back in.

Our top tips for candidates who are job hunting at present are:-

1. Keep your C.V. clean and simple, no fancy font, colour, photos or putting down every course you have ever been on

2. Use a profile section at the top of your C.V. no more than 100 words and set out your key skills, personal strengths and most importantly how you could add value to an organisation. Tweak this if you can to each job you the extra effort will pay dividends.

3. Follow up job applications and keep a note of what jobs you have applied for and on what date. We frequently ring candidates to be told, “I’ve applied for so many jobs I cannot remember which one”. This doesn’t sound professional and smacks of the philosophy that if I throw enough mud at the wall some will stick.

4. At interview be enthusiastic, the world may be going crazy and doom and gloom and now snow is everywhere but for that moment shine. Never fear rejection! If you have had loads of no’s remember that either you are nearer to the yes stage or you need to change your approach to increase your chances of success.

5. Spread the word let your neighbours, cousins, friends, ex colleagues know you are searching; remember the six degrees of separation so that potential opportunity may be nearer than you think.

6. If you realise in this competitive marketplace that your skills need upgrading then do it now! Get on that IT course, sales coaching whatever you need to make you more marketable. There are loads of free courses around so don’t procrastinate the time to take action is right this minute.

Don’t lose heart and do keep going because there are jobs and opportunities out there. Don’t let the recession turn into a depression
Jill Mytton
www.recruitment-professionals.com
Recruiters that believe in adding value