Starting the Jobseeking Process

What is it that makes some jobseekers find work quickly, while others jobhunt with little success? Experts suggest highly successful jobseekers tend to have a very clear idea of the sectors and roles that interest them, and also use statistically more effective methods to hunt for jobs.

Jobhunting is competitive, and more than ever before jobseekers need to show employers they’ll be with a company for the long-haul – which means showing a strong interest in a particular line of work.

Jobhunters who’ve already completed training or have already gained skills with a previous or current employer needn’t necessarily be bound to those experiences. People can always retrain for new skills. Being interested in a career path is much more important. However, jobseekers should carry out research to gain an awareness of the competitiveness of the specific role they’re aiming for in the area of the country they want to work. If there are few positions and lots of competition, jobseekers might want to consider similar, related positions as a way to side-step into the industry they’re interested in.

So how can jobseekers pinpoint their key career interests? Talking through your ideas with friends & family is a good start, as is simply taking time out to think over the things you’ve always been interested in.

You can also invest in one-on-one careers advice with a professional careers coach, who can use a number of methods, including personality testing, to determine the sectors and roles that might suit your personality.

Successful jobhunters are clear about the work they’re interested in, but they also know how to look for that work. Some jobhunting methods are much more effective than others. One of the most statistically successful way to jobhunt is to ask for job leads from friends, family, people in your community and staff at careers centres. The second most successful jobhunting method is to cold call employers of interest and ask about possible vacancies. But whatever you do, try to avoid the common route of replying to job advertisements in local newspapers or professional trade publications. Research indicates these methods of jobhunting have around a 7% success rate: so for every hundred jobseekers, only seven will win work through this method. Jobhunt using this method and you’ll be pitting yourself against the maximum amount of competition and significantly lowering your odds of winning an interview.