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CV, cv tips, find a job, hiring market, job advice, job hunting, job hunting 2015, job salaries, jobseeker, resume, resume tips, salary outlook
Whether you’re actively on the hunt for a new job or just casually keeping your options open 2015 seems to have started with an air of positivity we’ve not seen for a few years. So, here is some insight and a few tips to help you make 2015 a great year for your career.
Show Me the Money: The Outlook for Salaries
When it comes to pay, salaries have largely stabilised, compared to the pay cuts many employees have experienced in the past few years – and they are on the up for industries where competition is high such as project management, software engineering, systems analytics and web development.
in addition to stronger salaries, more companies are offering flex hours and even work-from-home options especially in the tech and financial services fields.
In other industries where pay and flexibility haven’t changed much – such as marketing and media – other, more unusual perks are gaining popularity such as on-site wellness centers, free parking and even pet-sitting services.
High-Growth Sectors That Should Be on Your Radar
According to human resources consulting firm Manpower Group, nearly 20% of U.S. employers expect to increase the number of new hires this year. On top of this every region in the country projected increases in hiring compared to last year – at least marginally. Employers in the Midwest and West signal “moderate” increases in hiring, and employers in the Northeast and South expect hiring to “slightly” increase.
When it comes to industries with the highest growth potential, the ManpowerGroup report found that leisure and hospitality came out on top, with a projected 28% increase in jobs. Professional and business services, the financial sector – education and health services will also perform well, growing between 10%–20%.
Use Expert-Approved Techniques for Standing Out
Positioning yourself as a star candidate in 2015 comes down to pinpointing exactly what particular hiring managers need. Use these four tips to hit the mark.
– Customise Your CV and Cover Letter: The biggest mistake is failing to personalise a CV and cover letter for each and every company position you apply for.
As more available positions are advertised on your go-to job boards this year, don’t simply blast every company with a standard CV. Instead, make sure you highlight different key accomplishments and responsibilities – or simply rearrange the order of the bullet points on your CV – in an order that satisfies each unique set of hiring requirements.
– Prep, Prep, Prep: Too many people show up for a job interview overconfident and underprepared. Even seemingly obvious to-dos, such as rereading the job description thoroughly and doing as much Internet research on the company as possible, are steps that many job seekers skip.
This is especially true when you’re applying to multiple jobs simultaneously, or you’re too busy in your current position to carve out enough prep time for an interview.
Make sure you find out enough about a company to demonstrate your knowledge of their needs and connect the skills you have to those needs.
– Get Mobile Savvy: As Millennials continue to enter the workforce, mobile recruiting has become ever more prominent so being conversant with mobile technology is more crucial than ever before.
Employers are starting to realise that mobile recruiting apps are a real-time, relevant way to reach young workers. As a result, the major job boards, like Monster and CareerBuilder are investing more resources in their apps, and more companies are tweeting jobs or posting them on Facebook pages.
Make sure you keep your social media profiles professional. That means no party pictures or risqué selfies on sites like Facebook and Instagram, and always keep your LinkedIn profile up-to-date.
– Pay Attention to Culture Fit: Many hiring managers used to focus almost exclusively on candidates’ hard skills. But much more attention is paid to the culture fit today. Most skills – even technical ones, can be learned quickly. It’s much more difficult to change a person’s attitude or personality!
Companies have figured out that incorporating cultural fit into the hiring process is good for business and creating a positive culture means less employee turnover. And don’t forget that finding a company with a culture you appreciate – meaning you like their management and communication style, plus the way they encourage employees to interact with one another is better for you too.
There are a number of online tools you can use to find out more about a company’s culture. Start with your LinkedIn network and reach out to people who can introduce you to someone at the company you’re considering,
Sites like Glassdoor and Branchout also do a good job of uncovering information, enabling you to find out who among your Facebook friends has connections at a given company.
Good Luck!