As part of our series of posts exploring a “question-centered” teaching approach, we asked Phil Taylor, recruitment manager at OUP, to give us his thoughts on the above question, featured in the new course Q Skills for Success.
As a recruitment manager, I spend a lot of time looking for good candidates. Here is some advice I would give to anyone looking for a job in today’s competitive jobs market.
You need to know where to look first. Digital media has had a huge impact on recruitment advertising. Many organizations now focus all their attention on candidate attraction through online job boards or social media sites.
LinkedIn is one such site where you can view current vacancies, and also network with fellow industry professionals.
Joining networking groups allows you to make contact with potential employers within your current profession. In some cases it provides an opportunity to discuss the role further before even submitting a formal application.
When you find a suitable role, it is essential that you tailor both your resume and covering letter to the specific job criteria.
Where possible you should give examples of when you have used specific skills and abilities. You can draw on elements from any aspect of your life, such as education, work, home or community life—as long as you focus on its relevance in comparison to the needs of this job.
If the job requirements are not present in the advertisement, request a full job description from the recruiter.
At interview the recruiter(s) will ask for specific examples of demonstrating these skills. So be prepared to talk about them in detail.
Feel free to share your tips by adding a comment below.
Find out how you can use questions like “How can you find a good job?” in class.
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Phil Taylor is Recruitment Manager for Oxford University Press.
I absolutely agree that linkedin is an undervalued resource. Even if you can’t find a job there you can meet people that might work at a company you’re trying to get into.