Top Tips for Job Hunters - Covid-19
Posted on Thursday, March 26, 2020 by Admin — 4 comments
The Coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented and having a profound effect on all of our lives. Every industry is feeling the impact of the economic challenges that come with Covid-19. Within the fashion and textiles industry most high street retailers and suppliers have understandably put recruitment on hold, some of those clients have expressed that they are still looking but just cannot conduct interviews at this time. As an active job hunter what should you do? Here are some tips to help you make the most of any down time you may have whilst we are all on lockdown at home.
UPDATE YOUR CV
It’s a given, but it could be one of the most productive thing to help secure that new role. Dust it off and have a read, sometimes all you need is a fresh pair of eyes to notice the odd mistake. We have a handy CV writing blog that could be of use:
HOW TO WRITE A GOOD CV
https://uandisearch.com/resources/blog/2019/11/want-to-know-how-to-write-a-good-cv/
SET UP AN EMAIL SPECIFICALLY FOR JOB HUNTING
Email notifications are great when you are looking for a role but they can become a bit of an annoyance when you aren’t. I personally don’t like to unsubscribe as you never know what is out there. One of my top tips is to set up a specific email that is just for job hunting it also helps to avoid dodgy email addresses. Keep it simple with your initial and surname or first name and surname
REGISTERED OR UPDATE YOUR CV WITH U&I
Once you are happy with your CV send it over to us and we will update our records. You can register on our website: https://uandisearch.com/candidate/register/ or if you would prefer, email it to: info@uandisearch.com let us know if you are just looking in the local area or if you would relocate within the UK or overseas for future opportunities. Your salary expectations and notice period are also really important.
SIGN UP FOR JOB OR ALERTS
Once you have registered, sign up for job alerts. As soon as we advertise a new role you’ll be one of the first to hear about it.
DON’T LOSE FAITH
Recruitment may be on hold but once this is all over it will hopefully be business as usual, if you have applied for a role it will mean you are one step ahead of the competition.
UPDATE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE
LinkedIn is the world’s largest online professional network. Therefore, you want to be sure your profile is a compelling and accurate portrayal of your professional life. Whether you are actively seeking new opportunities or not, it’s important to maintain your LinkedIn profile to keep it fresh and up-to-date. Why not ask your connections for recommendations or to rate your skills while you are at it.
BUILD A WEBSITE FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO
If you work in a creative role, why not take this time to build your online portfolio. There are some great sites
Behance https://www.behance.net/
Behance is a great website to showcase your design portfolio online.
Wix https://www.wix.com/website/templates/html/portfolio-cv/portfolios
Wix is a free to use website builder that has portfolio templates
PRACTICE ANSWERING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
If you are climbing the walls why not answer some interview questions as a practice.
A top tip is to do this in front of the mirror it helps with eye contact and you can see how your face behaves, remember to smile!
Here are a few blogs that can help with questions and prep:
PREPARING FOR AN INTERVIEW
https://uandisearch.com/resources/blog/2019/11/preparation-for-your-interview-where-to-start/
Interview Questions
https://uandisearch.com/resources/blog/2019/01/interview-questions/
SIGN UP FOR ONLINE TRAINING
Why not learn a new skill? If there is something that you have been keen to learn but never had the time, why not try Photoshop or take or a new hobby - don’t forget to add it to your CV!
OPEN UNIVERSITY
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses
The Open University offers over 1,000 free online courses, take a peek there may be one that sparks your interest
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
More often than not Adobe offer a free 7 day Photoshop trial
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/
There are some free training guides on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6lrxMZggMaN1u2V9N2-zrQ
VIRTUAL SHOP FOR THE PERFECT INTERVIEW OUTFIT
I’m on the fence on this one. Is it a good idea to put yourself and others at risk for a clothes delivery? I’m not sure that it is! Some major retailers have closed their online operations for this very reason but others haven’t. I will leave it to you to decide. The alternative could be to virtually shop for that perfect outfit so you are ready to order when the time is right.
DON’T GIVE YOURSELF A BAD HAIRCUT!
This doesn’t really need an explanation. A home hair cut isn’t going to help present you in the best light after we all emerge from this period of hibernation. The last thing you want is to be sitting in an interview with a wonky fringe!
STAY HOME & STAY SAFE!
Help yourself with the check list above - we can help with the rest!