TRICIA PHILLIPS

KNOW HOW

Forget the 12 days of Christmas, it’s the 12 days of Christmas job hunting that will give you a head start on the competition.

While others get sidetracked by festivities, you can bag that job. 1st

day – TARGET It’s essential you have a career plan. Once you’ve honed in on a specific area, create a targeted list of companies you’d like to work for. 2nd

day – CV Make sure it stands out for the right reasons. Keep it to two pages and relevant to the job you’re applying for. Show you’re THE person for the role. 3rd

day - NETWORK Identify and follow key industry players on Twitter and connect on Linkedin. Attend events they attend. 4th

day - SOCIAL Grow you presence on Linkedin and clear your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts of questionable content. 5th

day - DRESS Check and update your career wardrobe ready for interview day. 6th

day - JOBS Register with recruiters, upload your CV to job sites and sign up for alerts. 7th

day - PRACTICE Get interview confident by practising answers to tricky questions with a friend. 8th

day - RESEARCH Find out more about the firms you have interviews with. 9th

day - CREATE Build a personal brand to help sell yourself to potential bosses. Create a website, print or online portfolio or get involved in important projects. 10th

day - CONTACT Follow up after interviews with a thank you note. If you don’t hear back within the agreed time then call or email. 11th

day - CONTINUE Keep your eye on the prize and keep applying. 12th

day - TREAT Whether you’ve secured a job or your work hunt continues, kick back and relax.