January is one of the most popular times of the year for new job opportunities. If you look at Google search trends, for example, the term “jobs Ireland” peaks annually in January, indicating the general interest in new roles and fresh starts at the beginning of each year.
The good news is this year it’s a job-seekers market and there are lots of roles out there across pretty much every sector.
Our recruiters help people find new roles every day. They have a lot of experience helping talent find new roles, so who better to ask for a few tips to help you find a job that you’ll want to keep this time next year?
With this in mind, we asked a selection of recruiters from across the Cpl Group for their top tips to find a new job this year.
Darrach Teague, Cpl NI – prepare and be enthusiastic
“When you secure an interview, it is vitally important to prepare, prepare, prepare! Understand the company you are applying to, find out as much information about the role of your recruitment consultant as possible and find out who the company is really looking for.
The job description will only give you limited information and a good recruiter should be able to give you extras like team size, development potential etc.
Spend time thinking about your interview answers – describe the experience you have or skills you can utilise that will add value to their business. Present yourself as enthusiastic, knowledgeable and capable and you will ace it!”
Shane Esler, Cpl Technology – connect with a recruiter who gets you
“My 2 top tips for active job seekers are these. Firstly, let potential employers and recruiters know you are on the market. You can do this quite simply in LinkedIn by updating your Job Seeker preferences.
Remember to include a couple of sample Job Titles that you’re interested in and your preferred location or locations (and don’t worry, your new status will be hidden from your current employer.)
Secondly, I would always recommend finding one really strong and well-connected recruiter and stick with them! When you find that one consultant who clearly knows their market inside out, builds a rapport with you effortlessly and clearly understands your motivations and desires, you’ll know you’re talking to the right person.
If you give that consultant your commitment and work with them exclusively, you’ll see that they’ll quickly do the same for you.”
Christina Keating, Cpl Cork – know what you’re looking for
“Do your research. Know exactly what you’re looking for and what the most important things are for you when making a move. Often we move for money but it’s not always the best reason. Be sure that your next role lines up with your morals, values and most importantly that it will bring you joy! If you love your job you will never work a day in your life!”
Stephen Copeland, Cpl Healthcare – ask the right questions
“My top tip for people looking for a new job in 2020 would be don’t restrict yourself to online applications. Start to think outside the box. See if the company you’d like to work for have partnered with a recruiter.
The recruiter would be in regular contact with the management team to discuss their specific requirements. Pick up the phone and get in touch, which in turn will help you gain more knowledge of the company and what they are exactly looking for in a candidate.”
Jenny Hill, Client Service Manager – make sure your CV is competitive
“When applying for a role it is important to know what role you are looking for when speaking with a recruiter. Know what skills and attributes are important and show this on your CV. It’s a busy market out there- it’s important to be competitive!”
Overall if you’re looking for a new role this year put some time and effort into figuring out what you really want. Then update your CV and start applying for role that interest you, or reach out to a good recruiter who can help find these type of roles for you. If at first, you don’t succeed don’t lose hope and if you’re still struggling we have lots more career advice in our Career Advice Centre that can help you.
Ready to apply for a new role today?
If you are interested in a new job opportunity you can view all live roles in almost every sector in Ireland on our job board or if you still need to brush up on your CV you can download our free CV Guide.