Key Factors To Consider During Job Search

1. Evaluate essential elements required for Job Search techniques (such as: CV, LinkedIn Profile) and identify recruitment point including Recruitment Agencies, Job Portals (Indeed, Monster, Reed)

2. Analyse personal responsibilities and identify the performance objectives on the basis of the job description of the given role.
a) Use the Skills Audit (Given in Assignment Guidelines Folder) to consider necessary skills you possess as experience/ knowledge in and those you will develop.
b) In your skills audit, rate your skills against the specifications of the given role and set a theme of your own learning and development for work.

Importance of Skillset in Employment Market

The rate of participation in higher education has been experiencing a steep growth over the years. This has resulted in making the employment market more competitive for new graduates. The employers favor candidates who possess a set of skills required for their job specific role (Elnaga and Imran 2013). The presence of good communication skills, awareness about current commercial news, comfortable in teamwork and collaborations, problem solving skills and time management skills are expected from all employees that want to be recruited (Cottrell 2015). Most of the recruitment today, takes place via the recruitment agencies and job portals. The presence of a LinkedIn profile is considered to be almost mandatory in present times due to the vast networking opportunities it provides (Dustmann et al. 2015). With the changes in the styles and techniques of recruitment, the candidates need to be aware of the various methods that need to be practiced to increase chances of being selected.

This study aims to discuss and state the key factors that should be considered while conducting a job search, the identification of recruitment points and self-evaluation of personal responsibilities, objectives and key points of strength and weakness.

In a world of competition, when searching for a job one needs to keep in mind certain guidelines that are to be followed. They are as follows:-

• Personal evaluation– A personal evaluation is necessary by the candidate. It would allow him to understand his key strengths, weaknesses and unique skills. A candidate should also be clear about what his specifications are regarding the job he is looking for and his preferences. This would allow proper search of potential job opportunities (The University of Sydney  2018).  
• A brief and well expressed CV– A Curriculum Vitae (CV) or a resume is important till this date when it comes to job searches. The resume needs to clearly state the name, qualifications and training received in detail. It should use keywords and mention the unique skills possessed by the candidate (Forbes.com 2018). The presence of one e-mail id, a contact number and the link to the LinkedIn profile of the candidate is essential. The resume should be short and detailed. Most recruiters spend only a few seconds in viewing the CV and therefore it is important to list the most important information only. The use of key words is crucial so that the CV is generated in search results during the recruitment process.
• LinkedIn profile – Maintaining a LinkedIn profile is important in present times. The usage of LinkedIn to look for jobs has gone from being a good idea to a necessary one. Most people fail to make proper utilization of the benefits of LinkedIn mainly due to the errors and faults in their profile or the way they set it up (Forbes.com 2018). The URL in a LinkedIn profile should be customized in a way that it comes in the top in search results. A concise and detailed summary of the educational background and qualifications should be stated in the description. Previous experiences of working on group projects or internships should be mentioned along with the skills possessed. Getting more recommendations is always important. The candidate should also mention any website or blog that contains information written by him or contains his work. Most importantly, LinkedIn should be used to connect with organizations and people whom the candidate is interested in working with. Good networking and connections help in opening potential recruitment prospects.
• Developing interview skills – Interview skills need to be developed and practiced by the candidate (Hooft, Wanberg and  Hoye 2013). Some of the important necessities of good interview skills is to be well researched and informed about the company. This would help the candidate to provide accurate answers. The candidate should be on time, look enthusiastic and be dressed in an appropriate manner. The candidate should be a good listener and answer the questions asked directly. Providing suitable examples of experiences gained by the candidate is important and recommended.
• Follow up – Conducting a follow up is always important. It provides the candidate one last chance to remind the employer of his unique skills and qualifications. A follow up helps to be informed about the potential chances of being selected or about new job openings in the market (Hargittai and Litt 2013).

The identification of a proper recruitment point is necessary. It would allow the candidate a proper and reliable medium to search for jobs (Stanton and Thomas 2015). Recruitment point includes recruitment agencies and job portals. The features and benefits of which are discussed below.

• Recruitment Agencies– Recruitment agencies provide a lot of benefits when it comes to the job search process. They allow the candidate to get specific search results regarding his job criteria. The recruitment agencies are aware of the employer’s needs and preferences. This allows them to help prepare the candidate in the essential skills that are required. In some cases they even make the interview and selection process easy for the candidate. The job search process changes from tedious to manageable for the candidate by recruitment agencies, since they inform the client which job offers he should follow up on. Constructive feedback is also provided to a candidate in case he is rejected and he is then informed about his main limitations and areas that need to improve.
• Job Portals – The job portals have turned into a revolutionary form of recruitment in recent times. It is the primary source for both hob seekers and employers. It is considered to be the most fastest and convenient platform for the recruitment process (Teoh, Tan and Chong 2013). It is authentic, provides a wide area for search and keeps private information of the candidates confidential. Some of the most famous job portals are:-

1. Indeed - com is often considered to be a ‘job search engine’ mainly because it not only displays jobs posted on its site but also from various other sources. It has a presence in 50 countries with an approximate of almost 3.5 billion job searches (Khan, Awang and Ghouri 2013). The advanced search techniques used, the job alerts system and the research process is quite renowned in case of indeed.com.
2. Monster –The job portal Monster.com is considered to be one of the most trafficked site of America. It is similar to indeed.com in terms of its functions as a job search engine (Moghaddam, Rezaei and Amin 2015). However, the website’s controversies regarding the leakage of personal data by hackers and other circumstances rank monster.com below indeed.com.
3. Reed –The website, Reed.co.uk is a United Kingdom based job portal. It is ranked as the largest and number one recruiting site of the UK. The website is popular for its rate of success in providing booth full time and part time jobs. The website allows candidates to apply for jobs without a CV, just by using the information provided in their website profile only (Council 2018). Due to its advantages of providing better job recommendations and an increase chance of getting hired, reed stands out as one of the most important job portals at present.

The given job description states its need for a fresher looking for a startup in sales. It requires the candidate to be an expert in the sales and marketing process, should be  trained and comfortable in the use of different forms of technology and should be an effective team player. Considering the requirement points in the job and the main activities, it reveals the set of responsibilities that are to be followed while working in the organization.

Firstly, the organization has stated its main objective to be the development of a new business where the products are sold directly to consumers via the use of various social media forms. Being an educated and qualified professional of marketing process, it can be said that the establishment of a new business is a long and tedious process that needs to be dealt with close supervision. As an individual applying for the company, the applicant should be aware of the importance of finishing the assignments and achieving the objectives in given time. Time management needs to be crucial since the conditions of the market are constantly changing and failing to meet objectives in time could lead to a setback (Anitha 2014). Having an interest in technology, this can be used as an effective tool to utilize the numerous forms of social media available since the business is social selling based. Being an effective team player, this skill should be utilized by the applicant in managing work objectives with the entire team and at the same time maintaining good mutual relationships and an effective flow of communication. The job activities require the applicant to be proactive in his role as an entrepreneurial starter. The applicant needs to possess good communication skills since he would be constantly promoting products online, answering requests and feedbacks from customers and close business deals. The applicant needs to maintain good communication with both the sales and marketing teams in order to achieve periodic objectives and provide successful results. Maintaining mutual respect with other co-employers and team members, being punctual and being accountable for one’s own actions are some of the most important individual responsibilities that should be possessed by the applicant (Wellin 2016).

Guidelines for Job Search

The given job description requires for the formation of a set of performance objectives by the applicant. They are as mentioned below:-

• Formation of an effective strategy– The job is concerned with the growth and development of a online business. Therefore, setting clear strategies regarding the social media forms to be used, the marketing and promotional activities as well as customer services, is essential. The presence of a well formed strategy ensures that the employees and team members are in line and aware of the various methods that are to be adopted and the mediums to be utilized, leading to the success of the business (Costa, Keane Torrens and Corry 2013).
• Setting goals – The job requires the applicant to set personal goals as well as periodic and long term goals. The setting of goals and achieving them within a given time period would help the applicant to analyze and review the outcomes and increase the rate of success.
• Effective flow of communication – The applicant must maintain good communication with all levels of hierarchy as well as the sales and marketing teams of the business organization (Stone and Stone 2013). A good flow of communication would help decrease doubts and motivate the employees, increasing productivity.
• Emphasis on research– Being a new business, extensive research needs to be conducted to understand the key areas of strength and improvements. Conducting a proper research by the applicant would help in identifying and targeting the potential consumers, understanding the needs of the consumers and making necessary changes and also providing a clear picture regarding the competition (Cherian and Jacob  2013).
• Customer oriented objectives – The satisfaction of customers and providing an effective customer service is important for any business form (EK and Mukuru 2013). The applicant should therefore, lay stress on catering to the customer feedbacks, address the grievances, remove doubts and maintain an effective communication channel for the customers.
• Financial objectives – The applicant should carefully analyze the costs that are incurred and keep a track of the revenue earned. Maintaining financial objectives would help in evaluating the financial progress of the business.

It is important for the applicant to assess his personal skills since it provides a clear picture regarding the strengths and weaknesses possessed by the applicant. The assessment of personal skills also allows the applicant to identify the key areas that require attention and improvement on his behalf.

In regards to the given job description, the key strengths and weaknesses of the applicant are stated as follows (refer to appendices figure 1):-

• Strengths– The main strengths of the applicant are as follows:-

1. Has a presence of good communication skills.
2. Is an effective team player who can be expected to make positive contributions to the team.
3. Is open to learning from the experiences of other team members.
4. Has a positive attitude towards feedback and criticism.
5. Is hard working in nature.
6. Is responsible and reliable in completing the task given.
7. Is quick in learning the technological aspects of a software or product.

• Weakness – The main points of weakness of the applicant are as follows:-

1. The applicant is impatient in nature.
2. The applicant considers himself to be insensitive in certain situations.

• Opportunities– The key opportunities for the applicant can be said to be as follows:-

1. Being open to feedbacks and criticism may help the candidate to focus more on the skills requiring development.
2. Being a hard working and responsible person, the chances of receiving promotion is high.
3. New technological developments taking place in the market create a scope for the applicant to learn more about new technology.

• Threats– The personal analysis of the applicant reveals the following threats:-

1. Stress management– The stress factor for the given job description is high and if not controlled, may affect the performance of the applicant.
2. Insensitive remarks may have a negative impact on the work relations between other co-workers and the applicant.
3. Time management– The job description requires careful management of time. All forms of marketing activities need to be conducted in a given time period failing to meet which may prove costly for the business. The applicant also needs to make sure that he provides quality work rather than rushing to meet the time frame and providing an incomplete and dissatisfactory work.

Conclusion

Thus, the conclusion can be drawn that the current scenario of high competition in the recruitment of employees, makes it essential for candidates to possess their own unique set of skills that make them distinguishable from the pool of applicants. One must be aware of one’s job preferences and should assess if he is up to the mark or qualified for the job criteria. Proper utilization of the available recruitment points along with the presence of the necessary skills would add to the increased chances of being selected and may turn out to be beneficial in future job searches as well. 

Reference

Anitha, J., 2014. Determinants of employee engagement and their impact on employee performance. International journal of productivity and performance management, 63(3), p.308.

Cherian, J. and Jacob, J., 2013. Impact of self efficacy on motivation and performance of employees. International Journal of Business and Management, 8(14), p.80.

Costa, A., Keane, M.M., Torrens, J.I. and Corry, E., 2013. Building operation and energy performance: Monitoring, analysis and optimisation toolkit. Applied Energy, 101, pp.310-316.

Cottrell, S., 2015. Skills for success: Personal development and employability. Palgrave Macmillan.

Council, T.R.D., 2018. Business support and advice. Hand.

Dustmann, C., Glitz, A., Schönberg, U. and Brücker, H., 2015. Referral-based job search networks. The Review of Economic Studies, 83(2), pp.514-546.

EK, K. and Mukuru, E., 2013. Effect of motivation on employee performance in public middle level Technical Training Institutions in Kenya. International Journal of Advances in Management and Economics, 2(4), pp.73-82.

Elnaga, A. and Imran, A., 2013. The effect of training on employee performance. European Journal of Business and Management, 5(4), pp.137-147.

Forbes.com. 2018. Forbes Welcome. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2013/04/22/7-keys-to-a-successful-job-search/#51baa4f63021 [Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].

Forbes.com.2018.  Forbes Welcome. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/04/25/7-ways-to-make-linkedin-help-you-find-a-job/#30152ba76f8a [Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].

Hargittai, E. and Litt, E., 2013. New strategies for employment? internet skills and online privacy practices during people's job search. IEEE security & privacy, 11(3), pp.38-45.

Khan, N.R., Awang, M. and Ghouri, A.M., 2013. Impact of e-recruitment and job-seekers perception on intention to pursue the jobs.

Moghaddam, H.A., Rezaei, S. and Amin, M., 2015. Examining job seekers' perception and behavioural intention toward online recruitment: a PLS path modelling approach. Journal for Global Business Advancement, 8(3), pp.305-325. 

Shahzadi, I., Javed, A., Pirzada, S.S., Nasreen, S. and Khanam, F., 2014. Impact of employee motivation on employee performance. European Journal of Business and Management, 6(23), pp.159-166.

Stanton, C.T. and Thomas, C., 2015. Landing the first job: The value of intermediaries in online hiring. The Review of Economic Studies, 83(2), pp.810-854.

Stone, R.J. and Stone, R.J., 2013. Managing human resources. John Wiley and Sons.

Teoh, W.M.Y., Tan, S.C. and Chong, S.C., 2013. Factors influencing perceptions of university students towards internet recruitment. Asian Academy of Management Journal, 18(1).

The University of Sydney. 2018. Employability skills. [online] Available at: https://sydney.edu.au/careers/students/career-advice-and-development/employability-skills.html [Accessed 7 Mar. 2018].

Van Hooft, E.A., Wanberg, C.R. and Van Hoye, G., 2013. Moving beyond job search quantity: Towards a conceptualization and self-regulatory framework of job search quality. Organizational Psychology Review, 3(1), pp.3-40.

Wellin, M., 2016. Managing the psychological contract: Using the personal deal to increase business performance. CRC Press.