It’s a known reality that unemployment levels have spiked globally – a consequence of the COVID-19 crisis. The unemployment rate in Malta for the month of April 2020 stood at 4.0% vs 3.4% in April 2019 (NSO). If you have found yourself jobless or if for any other reason you may be looking for a change of job here are some tips for you to get started. Let’s read more about looking for a job right now.
1. Look at your network
Often times, your answer may be right in your network. Your connections should be your first point of search. Let contacts know you are open to new opportunities. Chances are, employers also prefer to hire through contacts as it is in a way a “reference” for that person. It is important to select who to ask, however, as research has shown that it is the personal contacts that are not close to you which prove to be the most powerful, what Granovetter called “the strength of weak ties”. Writing a substantial list of contacts and contacting each will improve your chances of getting good leads in your job search.
2. Who do you want to work for?
Think of companies you have always admired, followed or seen as benchmarks in your industry and check if they have any job postings. Showing interest in the industry and work is likely to improve your chances of job satisfaction there. Do some recon on the company and potential employers and choose well. A higher unemployment rate doesn’t mean you cannot be selective. If you are not happy in your role, chances are you will not perform at your 100% and will end up leaving anyway.
3. Sign up to Keepmeposted
Signing up to a strong job board and selecting the industries you are interested in means you will get alerts on new job listings that are valid to you as soon as they come in. Click here to sign up to Keepmeposted and edit your profile settings in the next steps to make sure to receive the right updates in your inbox.
4. Look at the latest listings
If you see that a particular company has several listings on a job board in recent weeks it is probably a good indicator of financial health. Looking at latest listings will also inform you of skills and jobs currently on demand. You can also filter your search and look for jobs in your area of expertise. (Just click on ‘Find a job‘ > ‘Filter’ > Select filters and ‘Apply Filters’).
5. Prepare your CV and sharpen your interview skills
When applying for a job, optimising your CV for each application will improve your chances. Does a job highlight the importance of a particular skill? Highlight an episode (or several) in your employment history where you’ve successfully applied such a skill or excelled in it. It is not enough to upload a singular CV and simply click the apply button. It will show real interest if you put effort and thought into your job application. Once all is said and done and interview requests come in make sure you’re prepared.
Good luck in your search and make sure to share this with a friend who may be looking for a job right now.
