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Job-search blues

By Sabina Trench, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers

Sometimes you are trying really hard, sending out loads of CVs which are not resulting in interviews and it’s getting you down. If this sounds like you, then it’s time to stop, regroup and rethink your job-searching strategy, writes Sabina Trench, Career Coach, Sli Nua Careers.

Take a break

Now, I am not telling you to take a break indefinitely, but you may be suffering a little bit of burnout and driving through it may not be the answer. However, it’s not a complete break. I recommend that you take a week to assess what you have tried over the last number of months, what applications you have sent out and see the patterns. Or is there any pattern at all?

Job-search blues

You may notice that in the more recent past you have sent out your CV to a variety of places, desperate to leave unemployment or to leave your current job. This may not be the best strategy. By sending out the same CV to loads of different places, you are talking to everyone no-one at the same time, which leads me to my next point…

Tailoring your CV

While the frame or outline of your CV will not change hugely from one job to another, the tone and emphasis should change, depending on the job on offer. For example if you are applying for a retail position, getting on well with members of the public will be very important. On the other hand, if you are applying for a warehouse job, physical strength and good organisational skills might be a lot more relevant. You just need to shine your CV light in the right direction, depending on the job.

This brings me to one of the most important pieces of advice for all job seekers out there….

Read the job description

Many of our clients do not read the job description in detail, and have not thought deeply enough about the employer’s needs. If you don’t do this, how will you know where to shine your CV light?

It’s often a good idea to feed the language back, and while I don’t recommend copy and paste, if they ask for excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office, then make sure you tell them that on your CV. Similarly, if they include technical terms in the job description, make sure you include those in your CV or cover letter.

Of course, if you are sending out speculative letters to employers for jobs that are not advertised, this advice is more difficult to follow. I recommend that you check the jobs websites for similar roles, regardless of the location, as it is likely that the language will be similar for the role no matter where it is.

Look after yourself

When your search isn’t going well, it can be energy-sapping at best and depressing at worst, especially when you are in a job you hate or haven’t been working for a while. It is really important to reach out and let others know how you are feeling. Add www.yourmentalhealth.ie to your favourites bar and follow #littlethings or like @littlethingshub to help get you through these tough times to the better days ahead. These tips should help to beat the job-search blues.

You can read more blogs from Sabina HERE

Sabina Trench is a Career Coach with Sli Nua Careers, who have offices in Bandon Galway, Limerick, Navan,  Athlone, Sligo and Mayo, plus a full online service. Their services include CV preparation, interview training, personal statements and application forms.