Job Search Strategies

1. Job Search Strategies Department of Student Services

2. Aims of Session By the end of this session, you will be able to: • Understand different ways of finding job vacancies • Understand about the hidden job market • Identify your own network of contacts to aid job hunting Department of Student Services

3. Getting started In order to create a successful strategy for finding the job you want, you will need to: • identify sectors and jobs in which you are interested • think about types of organisations that best suit your requirements e.g. large or small; public sector, private sector or not for profit sector • assess your own personal needs and preferences e.g. hours, pay, location, future prospects Department of Student Services

4. Developing a Job Search Strategy • Think about how you are going to find vacancies – make it manageable! • Research – get to know your sector or occupational field • Identify appropriate vacancy sources according to your sector/field • Use a variety of appropriate sources • Job search takes time – plan ahead and allocate time to do it Department of Student Services

5. Visible job market = 20- 30% Newspaper advertisements Recruitment agencies LMU Employment Service online Graduate literature Professional institutes Careers fairs Jobcentre Plus (Dept. for Work and Pensions) Job websites eg. Gumtree, Monster Organisations’ websites Hidden job market = 70- 80% Speculative applications Networking / word of mouth Social networking sites Email alerts and contact lists What are the main ways of finding job vacancies? Department of Student Services

6. The Visible Jobs Market Department of Student Services

7. Visible jobs markets • Likely to include: • majority of public sector organisations • not for profit sector • large private sector companies Department of Student Services

8. Newspaper advertisements • National press e.g. the Guardian advertises certain sectors on different days (Mon - creative, media and marketing, Tues - education, Wed - public, social care and charity, Thurs – IT & telecoms • London-wide and local press – the Evening Standard, Metro, small local employers likely to advertise in local press • Specialist/trade press e.g. Computing Weekly, Times Educational Supplement (TES) Department of Student Services

9. Using the internet to job search • Graduate careers websites e.g. prospects.ac.uk; get.hobsons.co.uk; targetjobs.co.uk • On-line recruitment agencies – rec.uk.com • Newspapers and specialist/trade press on-line • Companies’/organisations’ own websites • London Met’s Employment On-Line service • http://jobseekers.direct.gov.uk Department of Student Services

10. Graduate literature and careers fairs • Graduate directories/information e.g. Prospects, Hobsons, GTI, Target – available in CDES • CDES jobs fairs, usually held each November and March • Graduate careers fairs (London and nationwide) - details available on prospects.ac.uk and the CDES website (events page). Generally October and June of each year • London Guardian Graduate Fair , Business Design Centre, 23 and 24 June 2010 – www.careers.lon.ac.uk Department of Student Services

11. Recruitment agencies • Some deal with all jobs and sectors, others with specialist areas • Similar but different ! Get to know how different agencies operate • Some administer tests as part of registration e.g. psychometric, word processing, literacy and numeracy • Before registering, find out if they feel your CV matches the types of job opportunities they handle • Aim to build a relationship with a few agencies rather than register on-line with hundreds • Try to get a named contact in the agency and keep in regular contact – it helps to remind them that you are still looking Department of Student Services

12. The Hidden Jobs Market Department of Student Services

13. Hidden jobs market • Approximately 70 - 80% of jobs are never advertised • An estimated 65% of job seekers find jobs through networking and word of mouth • Just because the jobs are hidden does not mean you can’t find them! • Demands detective work on your part to uncover suitable opportunities Department of Student Services

14. Finding “hidden” jobs • Making speculative applications • Networking and word of mouth • Appropriate for :- small to medium sized private sector organisations across all sectors- certain sectors such as creative arts, advertising, media and PR Department of Student Services

15. The hidden job market:employers’ perspective • Cost efficient - many employers, especially small businesses, may not have a recruitment budget • Time efficient - employers may not have the time or resources to sift through hundreds of CVs and application forms • Motivation - putting the onus on graduates to come and find them Department of Student Services

16. The hidden job market:benefits to you • Significantly increases your scope for job search • Develop creative ways of searching for work • Gain greater depth of knowledge of a sector, occupations and organisations • Provides variety in your job search • Less competition compared to nationally advertised opportunities Department of Student Services

17. Speculative approach • Identify and then research potential companies using graduate careers websites, business and other directories e.g. yell.com, trade/specialist press, companies’ websites • Tailor your CV to the sector /occupational area and your covering letter to the company – every cover letter should be different • Always try to send your CV and cover letter to a named person in the company Department of Student Services

18. Networking and word of mouth • The starting point for your network...... • Word of mouth - make sure that people you know are aware of the types of roles and organisations you are interested in. • Pick people’s brains about the organisations they work for, how they recruit and who you could approach with your CV • Make use of on-line networks • Keep your network list of contacts up to date • Networking is not one-way traffic – other people might call on you for help or information Department of Student Services

19. Developing your network and building contacts • Start with friends and family • Who do those people know who might be able to help you with information? • Widen your network – get involved in University and Students Union events and activities; do some voluntary work • Join a professional institute as a student member • Attend their conferences and seminars – talk to people! • Chat to recruiters at careers fairs – use them for research • Keep in touch with colleagues from current/previous employment • Join the University Alumni Association when you graduate Department of Student Services

20. Outcomes of networking • don’t ask for a job! Do ask for...... • an information interview (i.e. talking to an appropriate person in the company about their work, how they got into it, pros and cons of their work, information about the sector • a chance to work shadow (for a couple of days to a week) • a work placement / internship • their contact details for future reference • offer your details in return via your CV? Department of Student Services

21. Online networking websites • facebook.com • linkedin.com • networkingforprofessionals.com • zing.com • fastpitchnetworking.com • bizwiz.com/ • london.netparty.com/networking-events.html Department of Student Services

22. Exercise :-Identifying Your Own Network Department of Student Services

23. Handout B • Named contact • Why contact? • What to ask them? • IET • Become a member and attend events; meet people in the field • Ask about their job roles and organisations, how they got their first job, do they offer work placements? Prof. bodies Friends & family Uni Part time work Me Netball club • J. Smith, team manager • Involved in recruitment • Will she look over my CV for me? • Lecturers • People in my seminar group • Enjoyed working together • Be good to know what they’re all doing and to swap stories and info. • J. Bloggs • She knows people in my field of interest • Can she suggest someone I can contact about an information meeting? Department of Student Services

24. Summary • Make your job search manageable – identify types of job roles, sectors or organisations on which you want to focus • Use strategies appropriate to your target • Be tenacious - most job search involves rejection. Keep going! • Be reflective - keep thinking, reviewing and learning Department of Student Services

25. Career Development & Employment Service (CDES) This service has a presence at both City and North campuses and offers guidance and support to all students and to graduates for up to 3 years after they leave. This includes: The opportunity for individual discussion on areas such as career planning and job/work experience search Workshops on a variety of job search topics Information on careers events and activities For more details on the services offered and on how and where to access them please refer to the website: https://intranet.londonmet.ac.uk/studentservices/careers/ Department of Student Services

26. Career Development & Employment Service (CDES) The University Employment Service provides access to vacancy information for full time and part-time opportunities, vacation work and internships. For details on how to register go to: https://intranet.londonmet.ac.uk/studentservices/careers/the-employment-service/home.cfm CDES Contact information: North Campus: 1st Floor, Tower Building, Tel: 0207 133 2094 City Campus: 8 Goulston Street, Tel: 0207 320 2380 email: careers.studentservices@londonmet.ac.uk Department of Student Services