Don’t be blue...
WELCOME to Blue Monday! Today is officially supposed to be the most depressing day of the year.
We’re all back to work after Christmas. The weather is grim. The credit card bills are arriving. And we’re not getting paid for another fortnight.
No wonder we’re depressed. But instead of sitting there at work today feeling miserable, I suggest you try to do something about it.
So let’s talk about job hunting. Every January I repeat the same key tips and snippets of advice.
For example, get your CV rewritten in time for the big recruitment drive that kicks in after the new year. Do your homework on the company you are applying for, tailor your CV to each different position and company that you target and prepare answers to potential interview questions.
But for my Daily Star readers, I thought I would talk about something a little different but still relevant – your tech readiness. I am primarily referring to your online presence. Social media is a powerful tool when it comes to landing your dream job.
But unless you manage your online presence very carefully, it can work against you as much as for you.
Savvy job hunters know having a strong profile on LinkedIn is vital.
You also have to be seen to be active. Follow recruiters and companies you are interested in on Facebook and Twitter as well as LinkedIn, and comment regularly on areas of interest.
Being tech ready isn’t just about what happens online, though. The vast majority of hiring companies now use Applicant Tracking Systems to help them to identify and manage the applications they receive.
So your CV needs to be “tech ready” to ensure it gets past these software applications and leaves you at the top of the pile. This is why tailoring your CV to each different role you apply for is vital. These ATS are programmed to identify the keywords from the advert.
I can tell you it’s never been more important to be tech ready.