Written by Joanne Sacco

POST-COVID CRUNCH: How To Land Your Dream Job When Companies Start To Ramp Up Hiring Again

Has lockdown left you with some spare time on your hands?
Or perhaps it has given you the realisation that you’re ready for your next career challenge?
Maybe you’re simply keen to do a great job in your current role to show you are promotion material when the time comes?
No matter who you are, or what point of your career, it’s probably not a bad time to consider upskilling and preparing yourself for your next role. We hope this article can help you navigate through the process of making yourself extremely “hireable”, and eventually help you land your dream job.

Step one: Review Your Career

Before setting out to get a new job or promotion, it’s important to take some time to reflect on what you really want. Whether you’re the type of person who sets 5, 10 or 20-year career goals, or someone who has let opportunities come by them it’s important to have some idea of what interests you.
Once you have identified some career goals, evaluate your current or most recent role. Is it on track with your goal? Or do you need to re-align with your new trajectory? This will help you identify whether to look within your current organisation or specialisation or for something slightly different.

Step two: Upskill yourself

Enhancing your professional development will make you invaluable to your current employer and make you the first-choice candidate if you’re looking for a new role.
But how do you know what skills will make you more “hireable” in the future? Follow these easy steps:

Identify your skills gaps – map out your current skills and the skills you think you will need to reach your goal.

Consult with others – your current employer, mentor, workmates, ex-colleagues, friends and family may be able to offer some insights into the skills you need to develop.

Review job descriptions of your dream role – look at job descriptions for roles you aspire to be in and find out what skills they require.

Prioritise high-impact skills first – you may have identified a few areas that you’d like to upskill in – great! But that can also be overwhelming. Choose one to focus on first and be realistic about what you can achieve.

Set yourself SMART goals – having goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based will make sure you actually achieve your upskilling plans.

Step three: Show Off What Makes You Awesome

Now that you know what your perfect job looks like, and you’ve got the skills to match, it’s time to update your LinkedIn Profile, Resume and SEEK profile.
It’s important that all of your documents and profiles are consistent and mirror each other. A few top tips include:

Highlight your accomplishments – Be sure to showcase your best from each job by highlighting specific results you achieved for the business.

List job experience in reverse-chronological order – that means having your most recent job at the top of your CV or profile, and older jobs towards the end or bottom of the page.

Use keywords, not buzzwords – Try to avoid words such as “ninja” or “expert” and focus on words that describe the skills you have and that potential hiring managers would be searching for.

Proofread – Don’t forget to review your profiles and documents for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Our pre-filled IT resume templates are a great place to start, download them here.

Step four: Research and Apply

Now it’s time to research potential available roles, and companies you’d like to work for. Really understanding your dream companies’ values and goals will help you stand out when it comes to interviews.
Research:

The company website

Their social media profiles (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram etc)

Any press or media

The LinkedIn profiles of leaders in the business

Step five: Go Get That Role!

Ready to apply? Please submit your CV to Finite here.
We will help connect you with the best Australian IT, Digital and Business Transformation roles. If you have any questions or want to chat about your future career, please contact us at Finite.

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