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How To Search For A Job While Still Employed

How To Search For A Job While Still Employed

It is likely, that at some stage in your life you will be looking for a new job while still employed. Often this can be the best time to begin searching for a new job as you are under less pressure and more likely to wait and find a job that you really love. Although it can be difficult to juggle your current role and searching for a new position, in the long run it will be worth it if you find a great job. Below are some tips to make the job hunt as stress free as possible. Keep It Quiet While you may be friends with your work colleagues, it is best to keep quiet about your search, it will not sit well with your boss if he/she hears from someone else that you are looking for a new job. Colleagues knowing can leave you in an uncomfortable situation where your current employers may feel hurt or that you are being disloyal. It can be hard, but only share your job hunting news with people you completely trust. Update LinkedIn It is important to keep your LinkedIn profile up to date, especially when you are looking for a job. You may want to tweak certain aspects of your profile to make it more appealing, go into detail about previous work experience and mention what you like working on. If you are connected with colleagues from your current role, you may not want to be openly advertise that you are looking for a new job, as again you do not want it getting back to your current boss. Use Your Time Wisely It may be inconvenient, but do not use work time to send out CVs or take calls from potential new employers. Try to schedule calls with these employers before or after work, or even on your lunch break, it can prevent any awkward situations or someone over hearing your conversation. Using a recruitment agency can be very beneficial, they can help find you a job you really want, without you having to do the searching. Schedule Interviews Conveniently Where you can, avoid scheduling interviews that interrupt your working day, there are only so many doctors/dentists appointments you can take before your employer will become suspicious. The most ideal situation in this case, is if you have annual leave to take. By taking a day or two off no one will question what you are doing and scheduling one or two interviews in a day can help make the most of the time off. If you cannot take holidays, try and schedule your interviews for the morning, lunch or evening time, as these times will be the least disruptive to your day. Be Aware of What You Wear If you work in an environment that calls for casual attire and you show up wearing a suit, it can be a giveaway that you are going to an interviews. Find somewhere to change between the interview and work, it will help any unwanted attention when you go back to the office. Finally, planning is the key to successful job hunting while still working, put time aside for searching for a job, but just not on your current employer’s time!
Job Hunting During the Festive Season

Job Hunting During the Festive Season

At this time of year it’s very common to be thinking of the New Year and the new you which can often mean a new job. A lot of recruiters are asking people in their network to use the festive period as a time to think about the direction their career is going in and what role they envisage for themselves in the New Year. Realistically there is no time like the present. Typically coming up to the New Year people begin to get complacent and believe that there is no point applying for jobs as everyone is in holiday mode and no one will look at their CV. In fact the opposite is true. While things can slow down as people go on annual leave etc. there are still new roles arriving every day and companies are looking for people to fill these roles in a timely manner. Update Your CV Look at your CV and make sure that your present position and responsibilities are all up-to-date. Examine some job specs of roles you would like and determine if all the right information is included in your CV to apply for these roles. Make sure to spell check and inspect for grammatical errors. Having your CV updated means you are free to enjoy the festivities with loved ones – after all who wants to be updating a CV when you can be eating a tin of roses or planning a New Year’s party. Meet Your Recruiter Over Christmas there is no better time to reach out to your recruiter. It’s a great opportunity to organise a meeting with them, get advice on the market and on the type of roles out there that may be best suited to your skill set. It will put you at the top of the list of people in your recruiters mind so when your ideal role comes in you will be the first to know and are already prepped and ready to go. By chatting to your recruiter or sending them your updated CV it is letting them know that you are open to discussing what is out there for you, it’s an opportunity to get some groundwork done for a process that can move quite quickly and exploring possibilities that you may not have known about. The other pro to meeting with your recruiter this side of the holidays is that you are getting ahead of all those who are waiting for the New Year before looking for a job. You can relax over Christmas knowing that you may already have a new job to start in the New Year and know that you are miles ahead of everyone else in the process. Thinking of Moving Home to Ireland It is also the perfect opportunity for those who are now in the process of coming home for Christmas from abroad to meet up with a recruiter and get things in motion to help you come home permanently. Moving back to Ireland can sometimes be a difficult, often times lengthy process in terms of arranging interviews or even giving notice. Meeting with a recruiter and even scheduling an interview or two when you are home can motivate you to continue your search to come home. So as a parting piece of advice from a recruiter who knows how things can dramatically change for job seekers over this festive period – take the time to put thought into what you want 2016 to be for you and, as your first step to realising that vision, reach out to your recruiter today. Sigmar are here to help. Wishing you all great changes in the coming festive season.
10 Tips For Finding A Job In A New City

10 Tips For Finding A Job In A New City

Thinking about a change of scenery and moving somewhere new? It does not have to be as stressful as you think. Check out our Top 10 tips on long distance job searches. 1. Know Your Opportunities Many people choose to move because they know people in the area, to follow their spouse or they have just like the idea of moving somewhere new, but are there jobs in your line of business in the area? It can be hard to establish yourself in a place that has a shortage of jobs in your field. Also keep in mind the population in your new location and their skills. If there has been an influx in people in your discipline moving to an area recently then competition will be ripe for jobs. 2. Research the City Know the infrastructure and where the main life of the city is. Research the cost of living such as salary expectations, approximate rent level, cost to eat out/in, transportation costs and if this is affordable for you. Find out where the local amenities are and if you can locate near them. Is there a local club with like-minded people that can help you? 3. Investigate Local Companies Are there companies in the area that you would like to work for? Even if there are no job openings now, there will be later. Learn all you can about these companies. Send them your CV or try meeting the HR manager through contacts or events, LinkedIn can help here. 4. Set a Move Date (and tell everyone about it!) Do not be afraid to create a deadline for yourself. By doing this you make the goal real and it becomes a date to work towards. Prospective employers will love seeing this as it will dictate a start date. Mention your relocation date in your cover letters and LinkedIn profile so potential hirers need not ask. 5. Talk With a Local Recruitment Agency This is a great way to research the local job market. Recruitment companies who work in your area of expertise can give you an idea of the local jobs market, salaries and advise on your CV. Recruiters also will know the area and this can help when relocating. 6. Plan a Trip Before You Move Telephone and skype interviews are great but there is nothing that rivals face-to-face interviews. If feasible plan one or two trips to where you will be moving to and try to organise as many interviews as possible on these days. 7. Check Offline Advertisements Local newspapers are a great way of looking at the job marketplace in a new area. You can see if there are many jobs going, which industries are performing well and what level of expertise is normal. 8. Consider Moving without Finding a Job Once you have decided to move it is a good idea to start planning for it and move regardless. Consider temping to keep you going while you find something else more permanent. Moving can be stressful but following through will be a relief after all the preparation. 9. Use Social Media Like you have already broadcast on LinkedIn, announce your move on other social sites. You never know who has connection that can help. That college friend you have not spoken to in five years still might come in handy. Using local boards can also is helpful to ask for advice on areas to live in and places to go. One more thing… 10. Leave With A Bang (in a good way) Try not to burn bridges, no matter how tempting, and politely bid farewell to everyone. You never know who might have a contact in your new location that can help you move on. To summarise, when moving, set a date and work toward it. Update your CV and all other profiles to mirror this and do research on the area. Visit, more than once if possible, and talk with local businesses, people and recruitment companies. Use your network to help you settle in and take a leap of faith.
Keeping It Professional – How to use LinkedIn properly

Keeping It Professional – How to use LinkedIn properly

While there are plenty of social outlets to vent and express your feelings online, LinkedIn is not one of them. Outside of work we have all been told by a friend or colleague NOT to talk about work, regardless if the information is positive or negative, nobody wants to tackle these topics after 5:30. The same rules apply when it comes to LinkedIn and your working world. Nobody wants to hear your opinion on football, nor do they want to see photographs of your family, or that funny picture of a dog chasing its tail. There are plenty of social media outlets where you can express these interests and opinions. Try to differentiate your work world and your social world. LinkedIn is used by hundreds of millions of professionals worldwide. It is a place where you can sell/offer your experience and skills within the working community. How you demonstrate this information will be the reason why you are being headhunted by businesses and agencies, or on the contrary why you are finding it difficult to gain any traction in your network. Here are some key tips on how to get the most out of your LinkedIn profile. 1. Profile Picture: Your profile picture is a unique selling tool. Isn’t it always nice to have a face with the name? It makes you stand out more, makes you more memorable and ultimately portrays a big message to your professional network. When you’re using a picture, please do NOT have a picture of you including: Dogs, Cats, Bars, Nightclubs, group pictures, poorly formatted pictures or wearing a football kit. This is the first thing that a hiring manager will see, make it count, and make a positive impression. Recent surveys have shown that your profile is 11 times more likely to be viewed if you have a photograph on it than without. 2. Spelling/Grammar: This one is self-explanatory, yet it is the most common issue you’ll find on LinkedIn. Your LinkedIn personal page is essentially your own online stock for hiring managers to buy into. You want your stock to be professional, assertive and representative of your ability. Ensure to spell-check your personal information and details before you submit them on your page. This, of course, will rule out any “where, were, we’re OR they’re, there and their” mistakes that are most common. Remember, this is your professional profile – nobody else will correct your work for you. 3. Networking A great way to get the most from your LinkedIn is by expanding your network. LinkedIn users have a tendency to add their closest friends and don’t explore and maximise their potential to widen their networking net. Reach out to old acquaintances and colleagues, clients and customers, and most certainly your college alumni – these are quite likely the most beneficial additions to your network. They have probably pursued the same routes as you have and can provide you with a broader reach in your network. 4. Creativity: “Creative and Responsible” – are the most used adjectives by LinkedIn users over the last few years. Never have we seen such creativity and responsibility by users across the globe. Although going by this statistic we should be societies full of Steve Jobs’ and Richard Branson’s. True creativity now-a-days in the business world is explored via strategy. Please don’t misconstrue your creativity as an innovative personal attribute that no other user could possibly think of. Instead why don’t you portray this “creativity” via a different route? Present your publications, merits, videos and any other projects that will depict the right image of you. We must be strategic on what information we want on show and what will make us stand out and be remembered. I’d advise you not to use LinkedIn as a place of social interaction, rather see it as a way for you to canvas your experiences and skills to date, and interact with professional communities globally. Think professionalism every time you log in and you should be presenting your best foot forward.
Back To Basics

Back To Basics

With the prevalence of social media and technology in job searches these days, it’s easy to focus all your attention on crafting a killer LinkedIn profile and forget about the basics of finding a job. Whilst social networks and technology are great aids to finding a job, it is ultimately the basics that will bring you success. Focus your job search With access to countless job boards online and with the urge to find a job asap, it is easy to apply to every job you see. But what’s the point in aimlessly applying for jobs you may not be interested in or able to take? You’re ultimately only going to become disheartened in your search when you don’t achieve the results you’ve hoped for. So the first thing you need to do is know what you want. Know the industry, know the field, know the type of work you want, know the locations that suit you and know your salary expectations. Once you know all this, you can now focus your search. Tailor your Applications Your job application is your introduction to an employer and your first impression. Therefore why send the same generic CV to each vacancy? Take the time to research the employer and the role and tailor your CV and cover letter to each vacancy you are applying to. Also always ask someone to read over your CV, Cover Letter and Application Form for spelling and grammatical errors. Be Prepared Prepare and practice thoroughly for any interviews you may get. Do role plays with a friend and come up with answers to all the common interview questions before hand so that the interviewer does not throw you off course. The more comfortable you are with being interviewed, the more relaxed you will be on the day.
The Internship – From Clueless Wannabe To Landing A Job

The Internship – From Clueless Wannabe To Landing A Job

Internships are hugely popular in Ireland yet many people are still sceptical of them due to the bad reputation they get – “interns are taken advantage of as free labour” seems to be a very common opinion nationwide however, speaking as someone who undertook a 3 month unpaid internship and secured a full-time paid position at the end, I can only speak highly of the experience I had. Looking back, the reason I undertook an internship was to test the water. I wasn’t 100% sure of my abilities or what career direction I wanted to take and my internship with Sigmar Recruitment gave me the opportunity to try out the business world. I was also in the typical young person seeking job scenario where each job advertisement I saw featured that sentence ‘1-2 years’ experience required’, something I didn’t have. An internship was an opportunity for me to gain this experience and it also gave me a chance to prove myself for a position that I would not have qualified for, had the role been advertised. Now I’m not going to lie, an internship is not easy. I wasn’t getting paid and to top matters off I wasn’t working close to home, in fact I was travelling from Kilkenny to Dublin each day. But in saying that, the on-the-job experience I gained was invaluable. Yes there were times I was stuck doing monotonous tasks but there were also times I was involved in fascinating projects. Being completely honest I didn’t know exactly what I was doing half the time but that’s the purpose of an internship: to learn!! So how did I go from clueless wannabe to landing a job I love? Here’s how: Take it serious The best way to describe an internship is that it’s an extended job interview so adjust your attitude accordingly. No matter how small a task you’re asked to do, do it well. Never act as though a task is too pointless or tedious, it’s all experience that you can add to your CV at the end of the day. And once you’re seen to be competent with the smaller tasks you’ll gradually be given more and more important tasks. Work hard Might seem like an obvious one but genuinely work you socks off. When given a deadline – try and beat it. When given a project – go above and beyond. Exceed expectations wherever possible and leave your manager with a positive impression of you as a worker. Take on as much as you can It’s simple the more you do, the more you have to show for your internship. If at points you find yourself idle, don’t just sit there and wait for your manager to give you tasks, ask for them. Also if you hear of projects taking place that you are interested in, ask if you can help out. Ask Questions Finally don’t be afraid of asking questions! You’re new to the working world and you’re not expected to know everything. If you’re unsure of how to do something, ask for help – how else will you learn?
How To Really Use A Recruiter To Find You A Job

How To Really Use A Recruiter To Find You A Job

1. Partner with a Recruiter that works your area The first thing to understand when using a recruiter is that they don’t find you a job. Allrecruiters typically work fee paid by the client company. Recruiters are usually experienced in specific areas so when you have made the decision to use a recruitment agency be sure to focus on finding one who specialises in your line of work. Some agencies are large enough that they have recruitment consultants for most areas of work so you need to do a bit of research to learn which consultant you should contact directly. Do this simply by calling the recruitment firm directly and enquiring, or by viewing current jobs posted on the firms website and noting the contact name which reoccurs under your jobs of interest. Next, make the introduction and explain how you have found them, you understand that they work your particular area of speciality, and you would like to work with them to see if they have any relevant positions for you. If you approach a recruiter in this way then you partner with them a lot better, as opposed to simply approaching them to find you a job. 2. Be prepared for the Recruiter Most candidates are prepared with an up to date CV and references. But think about a few things in advance of meeting your recruiter that will help them have as much relevant information about you in order to match you with a good fit role quicker. – What types of role exactly are you looking for/ interested in?- What companies have you contacted and approached directly to date?- What are the ‘must haves’ in your new role?- Have examples of specific success stories you can go through- Have a list of challenges you have overcome in previous roles- Make sure to prepare some questions for the recruiters, such as ‘how often will they be in contact with you?’; ‘how soon might they find you something?’; ‘how often should you check in with them?’; ‘will they prepare you for interview?’; ‘can they get you feedback from interviews?’ etc.Don’t leave the interview thinking ‘I wish I had asked them that’, or for the recruiter thinking the same! Tell them everything and ask them everything you can in the initial meeting/ interview. 3. Be honest with the Recruiter The recruiter is your ally and representative. Be honest with them about your aspirations, background and salary expectations. Don’t inflate your achievements or say what you think the recruiter wants to hear. The recruiter needs correct information to ensure you get noticed. 4. Let the Recruiter know ‘the real you’ Don’t pretend to be something you are not. It is an interview and you need to put your best foot forward but let the real you shine through. Your recruiter needs to know the real you in order to ensure a good job match. 5. Maintain & manage the relationship You have built the relationship and now you need to maintain and manage it. This does not mean calling your recruiter every day to check in, but keeping in touch every second week or so be it by email or a quick call. A good recruiter will have you in mind regardless of your contact and will only make contact with you if any relevant roles arise they think you might be interested in. Once placed in a role keep in touch every couple of months to a year. You never know when you’ll need their help again!
Benefits Of Social Networking Whilst Job Searching

Benefits Of Social Networking Whilst Job Searching

Social networking has completely reinvented the job search market, as social media platforms provide tools and information that HR managers and recruiters had only dreamed about 10 years ago. This in turn makes social media both a blessing and a curse to candidates. Benefits; Visibilty Having an online presence, gives you a platform to promote yourself to recruiters. Social media platforms are now becoming an essential tool for recruiters with most spending hours a day on LinkedIn in particular researching and finding candidates for their clients. LinkedIn provides more than 100 million people with a platform that is essentially an on-line CV with additional networking benefits. Hidden Jobs Not all jobs are advertised on job boards. Social networks give you the opportunity to build relationships with potential employers. By “following” their Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook page you will see job opportunities within the company as they arise. Networking Often a job opportunity can arise through a network connection. Social media platforms are excellent tools for expanding your network and giving you avenues to make connections with key contacts that can assist you in your job search. It’s all about who you know. Research companies Social networks give you ample access to company information. For starters view company profiles, learn about previous and current employees and read their blog pages for up to the minute company information. Social Media is fast becoming the key medium for jobseekers. There is a growing understanding among all generations but particularly younger workers, that an online presence is an important part of “personal branding” that will help them to stand out and advance their careers.
Take Control of Your Job Search

Take Control of Your Job Search

Working in recruitment has revealed some interesting trends from jobseekers. One of the biggest trends that I have come across is the lack of control taken by jobseekers over their recruitment process. On numerous occasions candidates have admitted to me that they are not too sure where their CV has been. Sometimes they can recall applying for a job in a particular company, but they were not sure what the job title was, who the contact was and what the process was for gaining feedback. This is a reactionary approach to recruitment.If you want to succeed in getting the job you want you must first plan the process. Become proactive. It is your process; you must take control of it.The candidate needs to research the industry s/he is looking to work in. Too often candidates send their CV in for roles that they don’t know a lot about in the hopes that they will catch a break.What happens if your CV has been sent to numerous jobs, agencies and companies and you receive a call from a prospective employer wanting to talk to you about your application? You don’t recognise their name, you can remember sending your CV to the company, but are not sure what the job was. This is your chance to impress and you come across disinterested and unaware.Plan the process. Decide on the job you want. Keep note of everywhere your CV has been, who the contact was, what the role was and when you’re CV was sent in. Follow up on your application. Don’t just send your application in to a company or agency and wait for a reply. Call them enquiring about the status of your application.If you plan the process you give yourself more chance of success. Know what you are about, what your strengths are, what your weaknesses are. If you don’t like finance, don’t like sitting in front of a computer all day and are not numerical, then don’t apply for a role as a fund accountant!!!!!Plan your career around you strengths.

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