Tips for job hunting please - it's been a while!

[Bevawelly]

Hello all,

I have just found out I am going to be made redundant, and would appreciate any job hunting tips you might have please. I've been in my current job for 10 years so it has been a long time since I last looked for a job and I'm sure times have changed.

I don't want to sound all "woe is me" but I am recently divorced and started again on my own with a mortgage etc so I will admit that it does all feel a bit scary at the moment.

I would like to give myself the best chance of finding something as soon as possible so any advice would be much appreciated. I am fully aware of everything I need to know about redundancy, it's the job hunting side that I feel really out of the loop on!

My line of work is accounts/payroll/office management with a little bit of HR thrown in for good measure!

Many thanks all.

[bella9]

Hi there, you want to start putting your CV together. Also, start thinking about if you want to stay in the same field or perhaps use this time as an opportunity to explore other avenues. Good luck, and best wishes.

[snowbelle]

Go online have a look at how to write a CV a lot will have changed and criteria could be different .
Be flexible, positive , and even put yourself out there as a flexible consultant until you find what’s right .
If you fancy going self employed get a website .
Go on LinkedIn, indeed etc and promote yourself !

[Minnie18]

Sending you lots of luck. To me it sounds like yes you are on a scary journey in your life just now but also at the beginning of a new you with a n exciting new journey ahead.

Have you thought about setting up self employed as a book keeper/virtual assistant these are really big just now.

Wishing you lots of luck.

[Bondy007]

Firstly, good luck. I've been there (redundancy), spent 16 years in same company and then a new manager decided they would make a name for them self... So, me out of work!
Secondly, don't panic, relax and you'll find something. It can take time to find what you want. But there's plenty around.
I'm definitely an advocate for LinkedIn if you're not already registered. I've been offered 4 jobs via that platform just through knowing the right people. Other than that get your CV registered on as many sites as possible and start applying for whatever you can find.
I would say the early days is more about quantity over quality, think of some of the early interviews as practice interviews. Unless you're lucky enough to find the perfect jog right off the bat.

[hideinpockets]

If you don’t already get your LinkedIn up to date. I found really good jobs through linked in but also received invites to interviews from my profile as well.

[lizzie145]

Your employer should provide help for your job hunting, this includes CV writing, time off for interviews

[Guest]

I am recruiting just now, so from the other side, my suggestions...

Spell check your CV. Then spell check it again!

Don't include details like address or DOB.

I personally don't care about personal interests but others do I suppose, so take it or leave it if you don't have the space.

If you've been on the workforce for a while don't include your school qualifications.

Make sure you tailor it to every job you apply for, even if it's just to reorder the bullets. Tweak the wording so you are using similar words to those in the job spec. It is glaringly obvious if someone had just battered their standard CV in to take a punt. Especially with you having experience in a lot of areas, reorder your responsibilities depending on the needs of the role you are applying to.

There is a lot of demand for people like you with various skills in my city so good luck!

[Shani]

My hubby is in a similar situation. He's a retail manager, but his company is in administration, with his last day of work on Saturday, but the administrators are refusing to give official notice. An even bigger kick in the teeth is that he's only been working for this company a little over a year - he left his previous job of almost 15 years for this "promotion" (but hated his manager there who made his life hell for the 6 years before he left, so no going back!), so finances are going to be a problem if he takes more than a few months to find a job (but next year's holiday is already paid in full, so that's one thing, at least!)

It's really knocked his confidence, though, and he's at the stage of questioning all his life choices and all his abilities. He's never been out of work since he left school almost 30 years ago so this is all very unknown. We live in rural North Wales so opportunities are few and far between, even minimum wage 16 hour a week jobs have dozens applying for each vacancy. It's a worrying time.

He's toying with the idea of starting up a small business, but we'll need to do a lot of research into its viability.

Sorry, I haven't really helped with any of your questions, I just wanted to say I empathise. Life is never easy, eh?!

[Bevawelly]

Many thanks to everyone who has replied.

There are some really good tips there, much appreciated!