Agents – here are five simple tips for job searching

There’s no denying it, job hunting can be hard work – even more so at the moment, with all that’s going on in the world.

And, unfortunately, sometimes you may feel like you’re going around in circles but not getting anywhere.

If you reach this point, it can be helpful to take a step back and reconsider your approach before clicking ‘apply’.

Below, we present some useful tips for would-be agents, or current agents looking for a different role in the industry, that will help to give you a boost of confidence and hopefully land you that job you’ve been looking for.  

Use your time wisely and search daily

Finding a new job can take a lot of time. So much so that job searching feels like full-time employment in itself. Some job-seekers fall victim to applying on general job boards without refining their search enough, which can waste valuable time, so do try to avoid this.

It’s also important that you check jobs daily so that you don’t miss out on any opportunities.

Zero in on job alerts

Setting up job alerts is one of the most important steps when job searching. Alerts act as an assistant, presenting you with top job opportunities that are personalised to your interests and experience.

Once you’ve fine-tuned your job alerts to align with your dream job, ensure that they are sent out daily so that you are always on top of the latest job roles.

Perfect your cover letter

No two jobs are the same, and your cover letter shouldn’t be either. Each job role will have different requirements, so it’s worth writing up more than one template and including skillsets that are tailored for each role.

For example, when looking at a job description, note down what kinds of keywords are used and what values the company holds in high esteem, making sure your cover letter reflects that.

Use LinkedIn to its full potential

Many recruiters use LinkedIn as one of their primary search tools. Getting plugged into career networking sites will show employers that you are eager to engage.

As a prospective agent, you will need to utilise LinkedIn to its fullest potential. Once you’ve created an account, write up a professional summary and start networking. It’s also worth joining and contributing to groups relating to the agency industry and following any potential employers.

Talk to friends and family

Staff referral is one of the most popular methods of recruitment. This is because companies typically prefer to hire someone who their trusted employees can vouch for.

You’ll want to take advantage of this by asking friends and family who work in industries you’re interested in. By doing this, you may end up finding out about vacancies before the job is posted online – instantly putting you ahead of the competition.

Finding a new job takes time, determination, patience and persistence. However, by using the right approach and taking the above tips into consideration, you can find the perfect job that fits your criteria.

For the moment, of course, the process of actually getting a job looks very different – with interviews taking place through Skype, Zoom, Teams and other forms of video technology to keep face-to-face contact to a minimum.

You will also be entering a whole new office environment, with various Covid-19 protocols in place. But the basics of searching for a job largely remain the same, just with a greater emphasis on online networking and exposure instead of this happening in-person.