Tag: dream job

Be Flexible for the Right Job

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Being flexible for the right job and willing to make compromises might just land you the perfect, dream job!! When a candidate shows flexibility and a willingness to compromise they often end up getting everything they wanted and more. We see it all the time. Trust your recruiter.

If you have a good relationship with your recruiter and it is built on trust (which you should) then you should be able look to them for advice. It isn’t in our best interest to place you in a job that won’t work out. We only have to do twice as much work with twice the amount of pressure to find a solution/replacement for you when you leave because it wasn’t the right job. Also, if your recruiter is good at their job, they will generally care about your satisfaction and finding you the right role! It’s why we do our job! So if we are encouraging you to compromise on some of your wishlist – it isn’t because we are chasing the next $$, it is because we can truly see that you will be better off in the long run.

So what should you be willing to compromise?

Money
This is a biggie. We know. Ultimately, businesses won’t pay what they used to for talent. So if you are looking at changing roles, remember that you may have to be flexible with your salary. Almost every employment motivation survey taken shows that money is not the most important factor for workplace happiness and job satisfaction, so try to remember this, because at the end of the day, money isn’t everything.

If you are currently out of work and looking, just remember that when you say no to one role, only to be unemployed for another month, that month could be the difference in the pay you were looking for (and most companies will do a salary review after 12 months which is your chance to sell to your boss, why you are worth more money if you still want that pay increase).

As mentioned above, once you have been with a company for a year and proven that you are a valuable asset to the team, you have a much better case for a pay rise than you do after two or three interviews.

If money really cannot be compromised because of whatever reasons, but the role really is your dream job, look at alternative solutions. This could be the hours you work, maybe you offer to work longer hours, take on an extra job within the role, or even request a 9-day fortnight. There is often a solution to those who are flexible so work with your recruiter and the client to find a solution.

Hours
9am to 5pm doesn’t exist anymore in the workplace. Be it that you are contactable after hours, on email in the evening, or you start early. A willingness to be flexible with your hours to suit a business and your manager’s needs is so important in today’s job market.

Responsibility
When you have acquired a certain amount of experience and are used to a certain level of responsibility, it can be difficult to consider a role, which doesn’t offer the same level of responsibility. Be it more or less responsibility, be flexible on this aspect of a potential new job.

A job description is usually a organic, it evolves with the person in the role. So take that job if this is the only thing that is worrying you. Jump in head first and see how it goes. You may relish in having a little less responsibility and a little less stress in your job. You may find the challenge of that extra responsibility was just what you were looking for. You won’t know until you try and just like being flexible with taking the job, most businesses are flexible and you could workshop this with your manager at a later date when you have established a solid foundation and demonstrated your skills and your value to the business.

Location
Whilst travelling another 30 minutes every day might not be ideal, we encourage you to be willing to consider all options. With more and more businesses moving out of the CBD, the need for candidates who can travel a bit further is becoming more urgent. Which is great news in this competitive market. You’ve lost 50% of your competition just by being willing to travel to a location that they won’t consider. Your dream role, might just be sitting 3 more train stops away and you almost missed it!!

Career Progression
We are not saying don’t look for career progression in your next job. If that is what you want, then absolutely make sure you go for it! We’ll support you 100%!! But sometimes, a candidate won’t consider a role if the business is being honest in saying that they don’t offer career progression from that position. Always remember these things: The experience you gain in that role, could be the stepping stone you needed to launch your next move (internally or externally). A business may not have any opportunities at that time, but you never know what is around the corner and also once you are employed, you never know what networking opportunities you may have and what doors may open! Be flexible, if the other things are looking good – money, location, responsibilities – then perhaps this could be the right solution for you right now.

Finding the right job for your next career move can be a challenging and confusing time. Make sure you have a list of what the most important aspects of a job are and then work with that. Be flexible on some but not all of these. Your wish list should be just that, a wish list. You can wish for it all but if you can find a job that ticks 90%, then you are doing pretty well.

Never forget that a job is not static. It won’t stay the same forever (management, pay, team, even location and company names can all change) and so will your job. A willingness to be flexible not only opens many more doors for you as a candidate looking for a job, it also shows a potential new manager how much you want the job and that they can get the best out of you!

10 Steps to Finding your Dream Job!

Posted on by Naomi Marshall

Are you looking for your dream job? Are you waiting for it to land at your feet or are you out there, pounding the concrete on a quest to find it?

Did you know that more often than not, people are sitting back, passively, waiting for that opportunity? That means, your competition has already been halved, because they aren’t even trying.  So don’t be sitting in that group – follow our Sprint Steps below and be the one to stand out and secure your dream job!

  1. Have your CV & Cover letter ready to go:

Urgency is imperative in a job search. So often, by the time we’ve placed an ad on Seek, the client is already asking us for a shortlist of candidates from our database. The ad is often a recruiter throwing the net out to see who else is available but in actual fact, we could already have candidates interviewing! If you sit on a job you like the look of on Seek for a week before you actually apply, chances are, it will be too late. If you want the job, be quick and get in early, before the rest of the candidates trickle in over the coming days.

  1. Have a Seek Alert system

That way, you will be alerted to any new jobs and you can be one of the first to apply. With any job placed on Seek., we expect at least a hundred applications (sometimes it can be a lot more). Although at Sprint we go through each and every one of them, we start at the top and often as soon as the resumes come in we are calling those candidates and organising to meet them. Once we get a few good candidates, we often pause to interview them.  Be at the front of the line to be seen first! If you are one of the last, chances are, that ship will have sailed!

  1. Follow up with the Recruiter or Hiring Manager

There is nothing wrong with showing some enthusiasm! If your skills match the job requirements and it sounds like the role you want, make yourself standout! Call and introduce yourself to the recruiter. Let them know you are keen and let them know you believe you have the skills. HOWEVER, please send your CV in before you call! There is no point calling if the recruiter can’t visualise your experience and see first hand from your CV that you have what it takes.

  1. Tidy up your LinkedIn Profile

Does your LinkedIn profile represent the best of you? Is your photo up to date, professional and clear? Make sure your LinkedIn experience matches up to what you are saying in your CV because it is highly likely any recruiter or hiring manager will be checking you out online before they progress you forwards.  There is nothing more embarrassing than LinkedIn saying you’re one thing and your CV saying another.

  1. Check your Facebook Privacy & Profile Photos

Just like they are looking at you on LinkedIn, it is likely the hiring manager or even HR will be checking out what else they can find out about you online. Please remove all inappropriate photos from your Facebook and Instagram accounts and check your privacy settings. You don’t want to be looking like the perfect candidate on paper, proceed all the way to interview only to have it go down the toilet because of some inappropriate photos posted on social media 6 months ago!!

  1. Ask around friends and Family

Sometimes the role for you won’t even be advertised. It will be through a friend of a friend or an old colleague. Make sure you are letting your wider network of friends and family know that you are on a mission to find the job of your dreams.

  1. Do some research

Not 100% sure what the dream job entails? Ask around. Meet up with different friends, family and colleagues past and present. Find out what they do in their jobs, what they like, what they don’t like. What they do day to day! Identify what parts of their jobs you would be good at and start to see where your skills match up.  You never know where this exercise could lead by way of introductions and job offers!!

  1. Identify a Company Hit List

What type of company do you want to work for? Small, large? In the city or in the suburbs? Make a hit list of organisations you’d like to work for. Research them. Send your CV in to the HR team and let them know why you’d like to work for them and why you’d be a good fit!! It’s all about being proactive and getting your name out there.

  1. Don’t Give Up

We know. Believe us. We live and breathe it every day. Finding a job that you love is really hard and it takes a lot of resilience and perseverance. Don’t let a false start or a missed opportunity be a deterrent. There is a job out there for everyone and there is a career out there, one that you will love and prosper in. It can just take time, so keep going!!

We believe if you follow our Sprint Steps to your dream job it is only a matter of time before that perfect role is offered to you. Just remember finding a job is hard work. It isn’t meant to be easy and it rarely falls at anyone’s feet! If you want to chat more about how we can help you to finding your next role, please get in touch with us at Sprint People!!