Top 10 tips to find work 

kea newsletter  l  Friday, 5 June 2009

More and more New Zealanders are facing an uncertain future in the UK as the ripples of the recession continue to roll through the country. Deb Brown, General Manager at Global Career Link tells Melanie Feisst her top ten tips for New Zealanders, and friends of New Zealand, looking to find work.

1. Be proactive

It's a 'dog eat dog' world in the job market at the moment, and the thing that will set Kiwis apart is their energy and willingness to keep active, and keep chasing the roles, says Deb. "Rather than expecting the phone to ring, you need to be on the phone and be proactive, applying to recruiters and to companies directly."

2. Be well-organised

Deb says keeping a good list of the jobs you have applied for, the people you have spoken to and their response will avoid any double-up, and help you know when it's a good time to chase with a follow-up call or email. "And, if you're working with agencies, make sure you keep control of your CV and where it is being sent. There's a risk in this market of duplication, and that could suggest to a potential employer that you're desperate — a bad look."

3. Be positive

"Keep being positive. Any signs of negativity will risk the recruiter or interviewer moving onto the next person," warns Deb. "Even when you're desperate (save that for friends), you want to be able to portray yourself as a professional. The interviewer might take your desperation as a sign of you being bad in stressful situations."

4. Understand your unique selling points/ key transferable skills

"With increased competition, you have to set yourself apart from the other candidates. Make sure you're confident with your CV and your skills," she says. Speak to as many people as possible about what a great candidate for a particular role would 'look' like and be prepared to sell yourself to fit that bill.

5. Research the company

"Research the company you're applying for; ask questions and, in the interview, show a real interest," says Deb. "I'd also recommend researching the interviewer using Linkedln, even if you are interviewing through an agency. If you are, it's good to research them and see what sectors and roles they specialise in too."

6. Be flexible

"Be flexible around role, salary, the location of the company and even the company," says Deb, warning that New Zealanders cannot expect the same number of options they had a few years ago. She says: "the longer stayers are finding it the toughest to find work, because the market when they first arrived was very different. There are much fewer roles available across the board and much greater competition when applying for those roles."

7. Network through friends

One of the best ways New Zealanders and friends of New Zealand can find new, or perhaps un¬advertised, roles is through networking through friends, contacts and former colleagues. Deb says: "Kiwis have a good work ethic, and that's a well-known fact. Keep that in mind when you are approaching friends and friends of friends."

8. Do related volunteer work to boost your CV

"Consider doing a short stint of volunteer work in an area that would immediately benefit your CV. This could be in accounting, HR, marketing or legal," says Deb. "Just make sure that doing volunteer work doesn't take over from looking for paid work. Don't pass up temp work if it's offered."

9. Have a short, snappy, tailored CV

This is the one thing that you have to nail, according to Deb. "It's no use sending a load of generic CVs; highlight the most relevant skills, tailoring it for each job," she says. A short, snappy CV should be either one or two pages with your name, number and email written clearly at the top; a statement about yourself (with your skills, your education and suitability to the job, not your aspirations for stardom and generic stuff about being 'a team player'); your employment history with most recent role first, and, if there's space, a list of transferable skills.

10. Get support

It's important get support, particularly if you have been job-hunting for some time, says Deb. "Bounce ideas off friends and family and past colleagues, where you can. There are very few people who haven't been touched by the current market, so it shouldn't be seen as a negative; it doesn't reflect badly on your performance."

Market update June 5, 2009

Deb has seen movement across the market in accounting, finance, HR and marketing over the past 10¬15 days, with some gaps opening up in those areas. "Look further afield in accounting and finance, if you can. In Edinburgh, there's a shortage for chartered accountants with up to five years post-qualified experience." In other areas, including law and engineering, Deb says it's not as fluid yet.

"We don't want to get too overly optimistic; the pick-up might just be due to the lead-up to summer, when managers will be looking to cover people away on holidays." Deb says during July and August, which are traditionally very slow months for recruitment in the UK, it might be a good idea to try to get 'lifestyle' work in Europe, where are least you can enjoy the sun!

With thanks to Deb Brown, General Manager, Global Career Link, www.globalcareerlink.com