Keep your connections open. You can use LinkedIn or you can meet old friends in the pub — and you’ll soon find that the opportunities come to you before you even have the chance to look for them.
Depending on the industry and sector, anything up to 60% of all job vacancies go unadvertised, and are instead secured with good networking — the old adage of ‘it’s who you know, not what you know’ has never been more true.
While being in the running for an unadvertised job might sound like an impossible Catch-22-style situation — how can you apply for a job that you don’t even know exists? However, there are ways to make sure you’re at the forefront of people’s minds when they are looking to fill a role.
Firstly: make sure everyone you know is aware you’re on the lookout. To stay fresh in people’s minds, you don’t need to be making a Facebook post every day with a PDF of your CV attached, but it doesn’t hurt to let people know of your recent achievements. Just secured an interview with a dream company? A boastful update might be in order. Just completed a charity run with your friends? Don’t forget that sweaty selfie to show off just how organised and committed you can be.
Research companies you want to work for and never be afraid to pick up the phone to them: if they’re looking for someone new, they’ll want someone who is proactive. Find the name of a contact in the company’s HR department, and ask them about any future vacancies or possible openings. Knowing the important names to speak to will get you far.
Finally, never underestimate how helpful those people you don’t see on a day-to-day basis can be. Your mum’s best friend might not be able to blag you a role alongside her as a nurse (unless you’ve had the required years of training, of course), but she might know of administrative jobs going at nearby hospitals; your old supermarket boss might not be useful anymore, but the kids you did the nightshift with one Christmas could well have gone on to bigger and better things.