A DIY Guide To Job Hunting

Job hunting is hard. There’s no denying it.

To complicate matters, the keys to some of the best positions out there are often held by people like me. Recruiters 🤢

Love us or hate us, chances are you’ve experienced the good, the bad and the downright hideous during your job search but what if I said that you could land yourself a new role without ever having to speak with a recruiter again?

Ok ok, I have feelings too ya know 🙄

Anyway, here are my top 5 tips on how to go recruiter-free (if you dare).

Love LinkedIn

Want to avoid charming recruiters like me? Then you'll need to learn how to become a master of LinkedIn. Optimise your profile, share and engage with relevant content, network/network/network and STOP SHARING PICTURES OF YOUR DOG. Sorry, that’s a personal one 😉

Craft a Compelling CV

You want your CV to scream "Hire me!" in the smartest way possible. Without a recruiter to cast an eye over it that doesn’t mean heading over to ChatGPT and politely asking Skynet to write it for you. Tailor it to each job, keep the format simple and easy to digest for the reader and ensure your focus in on your recent successes, not what you were doing over a decade ago.

Ace the Application

If you’ve done your networking right, you might be able to bypass this part but once you’ve applied for a role diarise regular follows up to secure an update on the status of your application. Applying directly on company websites is also a good way of standing out as traffic here is notoriously low.

Gain Interview Insights

Since you won't have a recruiter to give you the inside scoop, it’s a good idea to do some snooping on who you’ll be interviewing with. A browse through their LinkedIn profile is fine. Bringing up something you found on their Instagram feed is frowned upon…I’ve heard 👀. Research the company, understand their values, and take time to prepare questions.

Learn The Art of Negotiation

Without a recruiter to fight your salary/ rate battles, you'll need to channel your inner negotiator. Don't be shy to ask for what you deserve, prepare yourself for some awkward silences and get clued up on market rates.

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There you have it.

Five steps to find a job without enduring even a single conversation with a recruiter. An agency one anyway. Chances are you can’t avoid us completely. Mwahahahahahahahaha...

...ahem.

Of course, if you ever get lonely out there, remember, we're not all bad – some of us even write helpful blogs…

The End.

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