Effective online job searching in 2020

If you are new to the job market, you may have noticed that a large number of job opening are advertised online. Here are 3 essential steps you must take to ensure you are carrying out an effective online job search.

Create a profile & upload your CV

When you have found the vacancy you wish to apply for, you may be required to register your details or create a profile on the job board. Most job boards will allow you to upload your CV and details on to a CV database. These are heavily used by both Employers and Recruiters to search for potential candidates for their roles and is a great way to supplement your more proactive job search.

Using these databases to supplement that of their own company is an effective way for Recruiters and Employers to find candidates directly relevant for a hire. Often this can be before they take the next step and advertise the vacancy. This means you can upload your CV and allow recruiters and Employers to come to you with other suitable opportunities, that often won’t have been advertised on the open market.

Tailor your CV & use keywords

Ensure that when you make your application you tailor your CV to the role you are applying for.  You can do this by matching key words and skills from the job description with those that you put into your CV. Hiring Managers and Recruiters will receive a large number of applications – on average the recruiters and employers spend about 5-10 seconds to read a CV – and so they will need to identify your core skill sets as quickly as possible on first glance of the CV. Think about tailoring your profile or key skills to ensure you are reflecting all of your relevant experience. A strong, concise, targeted cover email can also serve the same purpose and really draw attention to your CV.

Think very carefully about the keywords that you put into your CV. Job boards have the technology to rank the response for hiring managers and recruiters based on the numbers of keywords and skill matches that the system identifies within your CV. Take a bit of care to ensure that you are using the same phrasing, key words and skills in the job description, as this is likely to bring you up much higher in the rankings and get you noticed more quickly.

Stay organised & follow up

As part of your online job search, it is vital that you keep on top of your applications to ensure that there are no duplications. Keep a record of the applications you make and diarise follow ups, keeping track of who you have and haven’t heard back from. It is important that when talking to Recruiters and Employers you are clear about the types of opportunities you have looked at, applied for and at what stage you are at with those applications. It is worth mentioning that some Recruiters can see which roles you have applied for on the job site so you need to be organised and focussed. Through recording your applications, you can ensure that you don’t keep applying for the same position.

Recruitment consultancies do not advertise all of their vacancies as they may have lots of suitable candidates on their database, so there could be some further opportunities they are working on that you could be considered for. So, by contacting them and following up on applications made will ensure you shows your interest and enthusiasm and may give you the opportunity to distinguish yourself.

Renovo is the UK’s leading outplacement and career transition specialist. We work with both organisations and individuals to support all their career transition requirements. If you would like to understand how Renovo can help you please call 0800 612 2011 or email info@renovo.co.uk