8 sure fire steps for summer job hunting

Want to steal the march on other job hunters? Then why not use the summer season to revamp your job search.

Leverage an hour or two or even half a day between Christmas Day and New Year to crank your job search up to the next notch. It could really reap rewards. Here’s what you need to do:

Leverage an hour or two or even half a day between Christmas Day and New Year to crank your job search up to the next notch. It could really reap rewards.

1. Create a checklist. Write a list of everything that needs to be done to get off to a flying start with your job search in 2017. Then set aside time in small daily chunks to work your way through your checklist. Set reminders on your phone to ensure that you’re ticking these items off as and when you should, says Matthew Gribble, regional managing director of recruiter Michael Page.
    
2. Use the time to think. Stepping away from the coalface is a great strategy to build perspective on your current job situation. “Ask yourself: what has been successful in my career?” says Gribble. Think outside of the box. Consider sideways moves that are a stepping stone to the next level up or a foot in the door of a new industry.
    
3. Seek advice. Once you’ve got the Christmas cake and champagne out of the way find time to seek a new perspective from friends and family. Sometimes a problem shared is a problem halved as the old adage goes.
    
4. Review your objectives and targets. Do you have a career plan? If not get writing. If you do, then it’s time to review your past 12 months and look at your short, medium and long term goals. “If you are searching for a new job be clear about your objectives,” says Gribble. “What is it you are searching for? What are your career goals? What are your life goals? Why do you want to move?”
    
5. Review your resume:. Resumes date as your career grows. What’s more, the design can begin to look old fashioned. Have you focussed on your achievements? Is the language clear, concise and active? Are you easy to contact? Is it not too short, not to long, but just right? Have you reviewed it over and over and sought second opinions? Make sure it looks and feels up-to-date.
    
6. Rewrite your cover letter. All cover letters should be tailored to the job with key words from the job advertisement. They also need to contain basics such as your unique selling point. Employers and recruiters still read cover letters, says Andrew Morris, director at Robert Half.
    
7. Update your online profile. Your SEEK Profile is your online resume. It can be updated with your latest title, the skills you’ve learned in your current job and what you’ve achieved. Employers and recruiters search SEEK Profiles to fill roles that you may not even know existed. A stand out profile will catch their eye.
    
8. Review your social media exposure. Employers can and do check out your social media before hiring you. Take a look at what you’ve added over the past year. Do you look professional? If not, do something about it.

Finally, all the best from all of us at SEEK for your job search. May the New Year be fruitful for your career.