These past few months have brought uncertainty and change in the job market both for employers and students alike. But don’t be discouraged, employers are still recruiting! In this blog we share some top tips and tactics on how to navigate the job market successfully and with confidence!
How do I prepare?
Even during a pandemic employers are still recruiting and are on the lookout for the right candidates. However, some work practices have definitely shifted, you will need to be more flexible and focused. Be sure to check out some of these useful resources that can help you with your job hunting:
- LSE publications: reports on the labour market*, surveys, or news from graduate employers
- Luminate Prospects articles: articles on various sectors, good for building commercial awareness
- LSE CareerHub: contains opportunities and events for use students
- LSE Careers’ employment sector guides: contains links and resources for different areas of employment
- GoinGlobal: contains country careers guides, country-specific information, and vacancies
- Linkedin: a platform for networking as well as finding openings
- EMSI blog: data-focused analysis articles on the UK economy
- Airtable: a platform and tool to keep track of your job applications and more.
- Jobscan: a platform and tool that’ll help optimise your resume or CVs to specific job postings
It’s important to make use of any resources available, not only to help you get started but to make your job hunt easier!
*Labour market: n. the availability of employment and labour, in terms of supply and demand.
What are some job hunting strategies?
Stay proactive with your job search and preparation, it’s not just about the opportunities available to you, think about what you can be doing to create your own opportunities.
Consider your skills and growth
What are some of your skills? When have you demonstrated them and how it helped you adapt to new circumstances?
Learn about your sectors
Do some research about your sector (trends, requirements, timelines), maybe attend some events, and speak to alumni about their experiences. Ask yourself the following:
- How does your sector recruit?
- What level am I? Intern, entry-level, experienced?
- When do they recruit?
- How big or small are they? startup or multinational
Update your CV and LinkedIn
Remember that each company will have different needs and may require different skills for the same position or job title. You need to take the extra step and and tailor your CV to the role within the company you are applying for, not just the role itself.
Where do I look?
Navigating the internet can be time consuming, and oftentimes, we assume what we see is what we get, but there are actually two levels of job searching:
Advertised job vacancies
These are the most common and traditional ways to find job openings:
- Job websites
- Social media leads
- Organisation websites
- Career fairs
- Recruitment agencies
However, these sources don’t actually paint the whole picture.
Non-advertised job vacancies: the hidden network
Found a company you’re interested in but no job openings? The iceberg analogy can be applied to the labour market: most job openings are circulated within the company – hidden from view – first before being released to the public.
Some job advertisements may not even make it to the public because they’ve already found someone internally or through contacts. This helps us segway into the next key area for your job search: building connections.
Where and how do I start connecting with people?
The digital age brought with it the ease of accessing information and communication. There are a lot of non-advertised job vacancies, which is why it is essential for you to start connecting with others such as LSE alumni and to build your network.
Utilise LinkedIn
LinkedIn is one of the most powerful career resources online. We highly recommend reaching out to alumni’s on LinkedIn and asking about their experiences.
We have several blogs specially dedicated to navigating LinkedIn and connecting with LSE alumni’s such this and this.
Maintaining your online network
Networking is not just about getting to know as much people as possible, it’s about connecting with others and staying in touch. It is better to get to know someone and build your relationship with them.
Isn’t it awkward?
The idea of networking may bring feelings of dread and some may find it awkward. But it’s totally okay, just remember to be polite and courteous. Networking is not just about asking for a job, just by reaching out to someone you can:
- Improve your visibility and career progression in a particular field
- Demonstrate your skills, commitment, and initiative
- Access information about positions that are hidden
- May find experience and or voluntary work
As an LSE student, here are some ways to get connected or find out about certain industries and sectors, by participating in our:
- Meet our alumni program
- Department alumni panels
- Coffee mornings
- Joining societies and clubs
- Taking on roles within your academic department.
- Or simply reach out to your peers, you can even skip awkward the introductions!
Set your own pace!
Remember to work at your own pace, don’t try to compare yourself with others. It’s also okay to reach out to others and any support you need in the middle of your job search. Most importantly, stay positive, it only takes one yes for everything to be worth it!
If opportunities don’t knock at your own door, build one!
If you find yourself needing more support, don’t be afraid to ask! It is always worthwhile to speak with our career consultants here at LSE Careers to formulate your next steps. Book in to speak to one of us on CareerHub.
