10 Tips to Boost Your Employability

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When you land the perfect job, it's an amazing feeling. However, there are often some challenging times in the run-up to securing your dream gig, and this can leave job-seekers feeling frustrated. 

If your job search isn't going as well as you would like, the important thing is that you keep going, and keep taking steps to make yourself more employable. 

Show Your Soft Skills 

Being employable isn't all about having industry-specific skills or lots of experience. A big part of hiring people is finding someone who is good to work with, and has the right set of soft skills. These are things like your work ethic, communication, ability to stay positive, and many others. Often when we're applying to jobs we're eager to show off our more job-specific skills, but in reality the soft skills are just as important. Show recruiters you've got these skills, and it will make you more employable. 

Further Your Education

One of the best ways to showcase your soft skills, and also develop your knowledge is by furthering your education. By taking the initiative, and investing in your own future, this shows a high level of commitment to prospective employers. Not only is this opportunity to further your knowledge, and gain more experience, but it also gives employers a tangible way to judge your abilities. If you're finding it hard to take the next step in your career, then it could be beneficial to look at furthering your education - click here to find out more. 

Network

Everyone's heard the saying "it's not what you know but who you know." Of course, this only goes so far, but the more you expand your network of contacts, the more likely you are to find opportunities. This is another great opportunity to practice those soft skills, and meet new people with similar interests to you. You never know who you might meet, and what that connection might lead to. You might just find it's a great way to hear about jobs in your industry, and you may make a connection that helps you secure your next job. 

Tailor Your Resume to the Job

Writing resumes and filling out applications isn't many people's idea of fun, but it's an important step in the process. Your resume and cover letter are the first thing a potential employer sees about you, so they need to make a good impression. This means you've really got to focus on making sure your resume stands out, and part of this is tailoring it for each company you apply to. Potentially, thousands of people could be applying to the same position as you, but when you put the extra effort into your resume, you're immediately going to put yourself ahead of those people who don't. 

Recruiters are looking at small details to decide whether you're a good fit for their company, so make sure you're focusing on your resume and CV.

Understand the Employer's Perspective 

Put yourself in the shoes of the employer and think about what they're looking for. There should be plenty of clues in the job description, but go beyond this and think deeply about what kind of person this business is looking for. The better you understand the position, and the business recruiting for it, then the easier it's going to be to tailor your resume accordingly. No two jobs are the same, and understanding the nuances of the position you're applying for can help you stand out from the crowd. 

Immerse Yourself in Your Field 

When you have a passion for your field and immerse yourself in it, then you're going to find it's much easier to improve your skills. There are so many different ways to get involved in your profession, and making this extra effort can be impressive to recruiters. 

For example, if you're a marketer, then sign up to marketing magazines and online blogs so you're staying up to date with what's happening. This is going to improve your knowledge, and it will shine through during the application process. 

There are lots of different ways to improve your industry-specific skills, and immersing yourself in what you do will help with this. 

Volunteer

Another excellent way to improve your skills and gain experience is by volunteering. There are so many different volunteering opportunities out there, and any extra experience you can get is good experience. It's an opportunity to practice those soft skills, get some extra experience in your field, and most importantly, enjoy helping others. Volunteering helps you grow, and for this reason, it looks great on your resume. 

Build an Online Presence 

Depending on what field you're going into, then creating an online presence might be important. For example, if you're a web developer, or freelance writer, then you're going to need a platform to show off your work, and what better way than by creating your own website and building out your social media pages?

This can be a daunting step if you don't have experience building your own website, but it's something anyone can do these days. With the right online presence, you've got another platform to wow potential employees with. 

Practice Your Interview Skills

For many people, interviews are quite a nerve-wracking experience. They take us out of our comfort zone, and this can make it difficult for us to show our best side. Interviews are like anything though: the more you practice, the easier it becomes. If you can run through commonly asked questions with a friend, and work on getting that conversational yet professional style, then you'll find it's much easier when you do get to the interview. 

Keep Going 

Almost every job search is going to have its setbacks. Sometimes it feels like you're applying for thousands of jobs and don't hear anything back, but you never know when the right job might be just around the corner. 

You've got to keep going, and keep applying to relevant positions, because you just don't know when the right opportunity might present itself. If you stay determined and keep persevering, then you won't miss out when the right position comes up.