Advice gained from 20 years of helping jobseekers

No matter the industry, no matter the role, some pieces of advice can help all jobseekers boost their chances of advancing their career.

By Simon Speak, director and finance recruiter, AFR Consulting

Over my last two decades in the recruitment industry I’ve guided a lot of candidates from one role to the next, here are my most helpful tips.

Improve your chances of success by understanding the job market you are targeting. This means analysing the assets you have (think qualifications, technical capabilities and softer skills) and performing a gap analysis to understand what potential employers will want from their perfect candidate. These requirements may vary depending on a company’s size or sector.

Seek out resources that will help you bridge this gap: training courses, professional qualifications, self-help guides etc.

You may be able to mine great value from your current workplace. Perhaps you can find a mentor, work across departments to build up your experience, or maybe your employer will fund some or all of your development.

Build your CV to become an in-demand candidate with work peers. Be proactive with professional networks and recruiters to ensure more opportunities come your way.

Don’t overlook personality: it’s a significant factor in your suitability for a role. Understand your type as well as the sort of culture you thrive in. Be a cultural chameleon: someone who is able to work well with all types of people. Sometimes a job doesn’t work out how you had hoped, and that’s ok. Learn from your experiences and remember: a better understanding of what you don’t want can provide valuable clarity of what you do want.