Top Ten Tips to Finding the Perfect Job

There comes a point in everyone's career when they decide it's time to find a new job.  Job hunting is often a very daunting exercise.  When looking for new employment you aren't looking for just any vacancy but rather the type of job that suits your career needs, fulfils your 'dream job' goals and leads you along a sustainable career path during the vital years of your working experience. 

Regardless of the reason as to why you may be looking to master the art of job search as a means of finding your new job, take a look at Jobs.co.za's top 10 tips for finding your ideal vacancy and you'll soon find your career on the acceleration path in no time at all.

These simple job hunting guidelines will equip you with the necessary skills to run fool proof job searches, identify and interpret job ads, effectively find  the exact job that you want as well as aligning yourself with companies who fit into the relevant industry of your dream position.

Know what you are looking for in a job.

Once you have reached the point where you actively begin to search for a job, it usually means that you have also reached a certain state of urgency where you seek instant gratification for the demands of your career. Regardless of whether you are recently qualified or have work experience, when changing jobs you need to start by searching yourself. Simple introspection is all this required and is a good way to map out a career plan based your specific needs and wants. With a clear picture of your dream job in mind, your job searches are refined, your patience recharged and you can be certain of not settling for just any job offer that comes along.

Research companies offering careers that that interest you.

Research companies that interest you. To some job seekers the company brand and the market's perception of the brand is a vital facet to their job hunting process. Not only is the brand of the company important but the company type (smme's or large corporations) is also a variable that will point you in the right career direction.

Spend time preparing your CV

When searching and applying for jobs on the Internet such as Jobs.co.za - South Africa's job portal, many of these offer Job Seekers the option to upload import, cut and paste your CV into your personalised job centre hosted on the net. Dedicate some time to pay attention to the details of your CV and keep in mind; your CV is a brochure marketing you and your skills, in which case it is to your benefit to pay extra attention to it. Make sure that whatever format you have used to add your CV to the job site that it displays in a tidy, professional and unique manner.

Know where to look for jobs.

Why restrict yourself to searching for a new job by means of one sort of job advertising medium when there are limitless channels to search from. Online job advertising is fast overtaking the previously preferred means of print advertising although it has been reported that only one out of three of vacancies are advertised online so never neglect print ads and recruitment sections of newspapers. Also register your CV with recruitment agencies who will look to match you to job vacancies their clients are looking to fill. Word of mouth is also a significant means to finding suitable employment and is one of the most successfully applied means of recruitment. Research relevant companies to establish if they have available posts advertised on their own websites.

Make use of advanced job hunting tools.

Many online job sites provide Job Seekers with a multitude of tools to make the job hunting process easier and to produce refined job matches to your preferred job requirements.  One such tool not to be overlooked is a job alert function (typically known as a search agent) that notifies you of any job advertisements added to the job site that may match your predefined desired criteria.

Tailor your CV to suit individual job applications.

Instead of sending a lengthy copy of your CV detailing every job you have ever worked in, rather send recruiters a tailored copy of your CV detailing relevant information of your working experience that applies directly to the specific job that you are applying to. Use your full generic CV as a base to start from and then customise your experience in relation to the requirements, thereby demonstrating why you are suited to the position being advertised  Try to place emphasis on the most important criteria outlined in the job ad and try to limit the length of your CV.  Recruiters and employers tend to prefer shorter CV's to lengthy pages of irrelevant work history.

Network your way into your new job.

Ever heard the saying; 'It's not what you know, but who you know'?  Networking provides an ideal leveraging opportunity for you to step into a new job.   Social networking websites further provide the ideal opportunity for like-minded people to gather and to network with one another.   This is a great way to make contacts in your industry and to demonstrate and share your interest. Other networking opportunities to take advantage of include attending seminars, talks, product launches and conferences where you are able to socialise with industry peers and mentors.

Interpreting job adverts.

Read job ads properly and strictly adhere to all job application requirements. Once you have identified that your experience is a match to the minimum application requirements, only then should you apply. Although recruiters may advertise positions that match your desired industry don't take any chances and apply to positions to which your minimum skills set and experience do not match.

Follow up on all new job applications.

After having applied for a job, in order to snag the position show the recruiters that the application is important to you by displaying commitment and responsibility towards it. Approximately five working days to a week after applying to a position, follow up with (but don't haggle) the person with whom you have applied, thank them for their time spent on assessing whether you are suitable for the job and  enquire about any feedback that they may have in regards to your job  application. Never pester a recruiter, but rather approach follow ups with caution and respect.

Stay positive about finding a new job.

Our final tip - not to be ruled out - is to never underestimate the power of positive thought. Believe that you will succeed in finding your perfect job and your perfect job will find you. Your careers altitude is shaped and moulded by your attitude.