Tips to land your dream job this year
Career changes are scary regardless of whether you’re looking for new opportunities within your own sector or thinking about a new direction altogether.
Staying in your comfort zone is easy. However, a new challenge can help you grow and develop. It can also let you use different skills and expand your horizons.
So, where do you start:
Why are you thinking of changing jobs? Is your current job not challenging you enough? Are you unhappy with your company or your coworkers? Would you like a complete change of direction, and if so, what would you like to do?
Think about your strengths, skills, and goals. If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, now could be the perfect time to try it. Make a list of your strengths – that might be work-related or personal. Are your people skills and natural creativity wasted in what you’re doing now?
Then focus on the things you don’t enjoy about your current job – that could be the actual work, the hours, the culture, your boss. If you don’t work out what’s making you unhappy, how are you going to change it?
Take advice from those closest to you. They will often see things in you that you don’t see yourself – good and bad. Tell them you want an honest conversation and find out what they think.
Embarking on any career change means it’s time to take a good look at your CV. Make sure it is fully up to date, and if you’re looking for a complete change of direction, see if you can amend your CV to highlight some of the points that will be relevant to your new plans.
Do some more research on the area you want to get into and pick out any experience or training you’ve had in the past that might be important in finding a new role. If it’s something you’ve always been passionate about you might have done voluntary work, or it might have fed into your hobbies. Anything that shows it’s not just a spur of the moment decision will strengthen your chances.
Job seekers who are keen to find a new role can often make the error of applying for positions that are unsuitable in the sense that they are either under or over-qualified for the job. Delving deeper into the requirements of a new role can sometimes bring clarity. It might become obvious from an early stage that you’re not sufficiently experienced or don’t have the relevant skills to make the change you want.
Don't feel discouraged if you don't receive an interview for a job. If you do get an interview but don't get the job, ask for feedback. Take it on board and set about working on any areas that need to be stronger.
Apply for training courses that build up your skills base, or see if there’s something within your current role that could be developed or expanded to increase your experience and skills base.
Discussing your situation with an experienced recruitment consultant will help you gain clarity and be realistic about the options available to you. They will know where opportunities are likely to exist, how to learn about them and how to approach applying for them.
An honest appraisal of your CV will help you to see where your strengths lie and what your next steps, if any, should be before you go for that dream job.
Anyone can achieve what they want if they put their mind to it. It is important to be prepared and committed to your career path.
If you are not there yet, be realistic. Focus on gaining the skills and experience you need. This will help you reach your goals one day.
If you’re looking for a new job or want to switch careers, ACS Staffing Solutions can help! Contact us online or give us a call on 01604 704058.
Professional jobs are generally in the service sector. They require training or expertise in a certain discipline to perform well. Those with professional services roles and responsibilities include lawyers, accountants, IT professionals, PR and marketing professionals, and many more.
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