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Local Careers Support

West Surrey branch have teamed up with our the national recruitment consultancy located in our area - StopGap. We have tips on how to prepare yourself for changing your job, or even career. For more information, please visit the Stopgap website.

StopGap logo and link to their websiteSuccessful Job Search

We have identified five common myths that can inhibit people's success in getting the right job:

  1. "A CV is a comprehensive record of your qualifications, skills and work." A business would not consider selling their wares with the 'full technical manual' so why should you? Businesses market their products, which means presenting information to the potential buyer in the most relevant way.
  2. "The best person for the job will get the job." Actually it is the person who presents him or herself most appropriately at the time that will get the offer. Let this influence the way you present yourself and you will increase your chances dramatically.
  3. "An employer will take the highest qualified person for the lowest salary." Overqualified people tend not to last long and a good employer will prefer the right person at the higher end of the pay scale than a compromise at the lower. It is your job to show how appropriate you are and not be afraid to state your worth.
  4. "An employer knows exactly what they want." We all think that we know what we want. However, most of us are prepared to change our view when we see other options. That is the nature of mature decision-making. The person who is offered the job that was advertised so elaborately will frequently only match 40-60% of the 'essential criteria'. They got the job because they best communicated how they were going to benefit the employer.
  5. "Most jobs are advertised or filled through recruitment agencies." It surprises most people that less than 25% of all jobs are filled through this route. At Stopgap we pride ourselves on the expertise of matching the right person with the right job. But if you rely solely on agencies you could be turning your back on a lot of jobs - these come about through effective networking.

So - what does all this mean to your job-hunting campaign?

  1. Clarify in your own mind, a) could you do the job you're considering and b) do you want to do that job?
  2. Identify what the employer perceives they need or what they are looking for (and try to read between the lines).
  3. Clarify how your skills and experience meet that need.
  4. Prepare your case.

You have just raised your chances of winning a job considerably and have practised one of life's most important and valuable skills - salesmanship. And remember, it is better be selective, to network less and do it well than be a pain in the neck!

As mentioned on the above, networking accounts for a lot of jobs. If you think about it, it is actually part of the way we run our lives, but when it comes to our careers many people shy away.

If you don't use your contacts well, you will restrict access to many of the opportunities available to you. Gain trust with a new contact by being interested in their issues, not by selling them yours. We are flattered when our opinion is sought; so make others feel valued too.

The key is mutuality - your relationship with a contact must be of equal interest to them, socially or for business purposes.

When you have networked via someone, make sure you keep that person informed and involved with your progress.

Business success is not just about who you know but also who knows you. Powerful leads come from people keeping you in the loop because they want to. Everyone networks to some extent, it is better to network less and do it well than force yourself to attend every event that you then want to rush out from.

Successful Job Search was prepared by Nicola Carew, a director of CWL Ltd, Career Consultants and Business Coaches. E-mail: carew@cwl-coaching.co.uk Telephone: 01424 772193.

For more resources, please select the area you are interested in:
Interview success
CV - Helpful hints
Staying motivated
Job hunting questions

We also have some self assessment tools, depending on your CIM qualifications level.
Support Level (Microsoft Word Document - 43KB)
Practitioner Level (Certificate) (Microsoft Word Document - 45KB)
Manager Level (Diploma) (Microsoft Word Document - 45KB)
Senior Level (Postgraduate Diploma) (Microsoft Word Document - 43KB)