September is often referred to as the time for new beginnings, as the summer months come to an end and the academic year begins. For many it’s often a time to reset, revaluate and start thinking about future career options. September is also traditionally the busiest month in the recruitment calendar too, so if you are about to embark on a new career beginning, here are 4 things you will need to do now as you begin your own job search.

Update your CV

The job market can be fast paced so you want to ensure you have an up-to-date CV available to turnaround your applications quickly.

• Ensure your CV is tailored for each application you make. The first person reading your CV may be a recruiter/HR professional – they need to see how your experience matches the role you are applying for.
• Use the job description for the role you are applying for and mirror and match the wording. The recruiter/employer needs to understand how your experience matches the person specification/job description.
• Keep it clear and concise and make sure you include lots of achievements and where you have added value to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Optimise your LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn is a great tool to help build your professional image and grow your network to generate new job opportunities. Using LinkedIn will help you demonstrate that you are a viable candidate for jobs.

• Recruiters often find and vet candidates via LinkedIn so it’s important that you take the time to optimise and update every section of your profile.
• Add a professional picture. LinkedIn members with a profile photo on LinkedIn can get up to 21 times more profile views than those without.
• Use keywords from your industry to maximise the chance of being discovered in search results.

Start Online Job Searching

Job searching online is not only the quickest way to find new opportunities, but it is also a good way to generate ideas and to understand which industries are hiring and the roles that are in demand now.

• Start by looking at independent job search engines such as CV Library, Indeed, Total Jobs and Jobsite. Google job boards for your industry or functional area to ensure you are looking at the most relevant job sites for you.
• LinkedIn has its own job board where you can save alerts and change your location preferences, so you are notified about roles in line with your requirements.
• Don’t forget to upload your CV to job boards and let recruiters and hiring managers find you for new opportunities before they advertise online.

Build your Network

It is estimated that over 70% of vacancies in the UK job market are not listed and instead can be found through word of mouth or by proactively approaching a company.

• Consider ways in which you can build your professional network by following companies and key decision makers within the organisations you would like to work for on LinkedIn.
• Identify recruitment consultants that specialise in your industry/role type and proactively reach out to them.
• Talk to your social connections and make them aware you are actively seeking your next career move. Opportunities are attached to people, and you never know who they could introduce you to.