How to start a job hunt

To start a job hunt, you need to ensure that you have an up-to-date copy of your CV. If you do not have one, then it is essential that you set aside some time to put one together. Then, you need to decide where you are going to look, online, offline or both. Read this article to learn more.

Create a professional CV

A well structured, coherent CV is essential when applying for jobs. A CV littered with spelling mistakes or poorly written will not create a good impression. In your CV, include relevant employment history, training and qualifications relevant to the post, and try to customise your CV to suit the job for which you are applying, placing more emphasis on certain skills. Some companies do accept speculative applications, but research first which ones do accept CV's. Before sending your CV, ask a friend or relative to read through, and offer advice if necessary.

Look online

After creating a professional CV, you are now ready to begin looking for work. A quick search on any search engine for jobs websites will display thousands of results. Take time to go through the first couple of pages of the search engine to ascertain which jobs websites are the most suitable for your particular industry. Once this has been achieved, you can visit each website in turn and undertake a search for specific job advertisements and apply through the website if required. Check local authority websites and local housing providers who often have a jobs section of their website which is updated on a weekly basis.

Recruitment agencies and newspapers

Recruitment agencies can be a good source of job vacancies and there are specific agencies for engineering jobs, business jobs, recruitment in IT, education and office work. When applying for a job through an agency, you will normally be asked to make an appointment to speak to one of the recruitment advisors. They will find out what experience, skills and qualifications you have and then match this up to a suitable job vacancy. This work is often only temporary to cover leave or sickness, but it can be a useful way to build up practical, workplace experience and skills.