If you’re polishing up your LinkedIn page or about to have an interview, don’t miss our experts’ tips
The signs of spring are all around us: bulbs emerging; blossom unfurling; evenings getting lighter and longer. This is the time of year when many start to feel ready for a new start. Recent research from LinkedIn shows that 75 percent of British workers are considering looking for a new job this year – up 15 per cent on last year.
If you’re a Gen Z-er, you’re even more likely to be dusting off your CV: 85 per cent of this age group say they’ll be job hunting in 2024. The biggest factors driving the itchy feet are a higher salary and a better work/life balance. But that doesn’t mean you should be explicit about asking for these things – in fact, sometimes it’s wise to do exactly the opposite.
So whether you’re looking for a new role, or wanting to climb the ladder, here’s what the experts recommend to supercharge your career.
Don’t ask to work from home
You might not like the sound of it, but one of the most valuable things you can do, especially when you’re at the start of a new career, is be prepared to show up – literally. “Businesses actively want people back in the office,” says Katie Drewitt, owner and founder of Manchester-based Intrinsic Resourcing, whose advice is to “go in, and learn from the people around you.”
So if you’re a graduate straight out of university who’s never had an office job, don’t ask to work from home in that first interview – not least because you’ll be much more likely to progress to the next stage if you’re willing to show face. (If you do land the job, meanwhile, don’t, whatever you do, pull a sick day on a Monday/your first day. “It’s so immature,” says Drewitt.)
Don’t like the idea of getting properly dressed every morning? Think again. “You’re really missing out on what you experience from working alongside people. [If you’re at home] you’re not comparing yourself to your peers – it doesn’t drive that competitiveness.”
How to get a job without job experience
Polishing up your CV to land that first interview? “Demonstrate you’ve got other interests outside of studying. If you’ve done Camp America, or been in a theatre society or on a team at university it shows you know how to work within a team.” And if you’ve had any sort of job before, even if it’s just in a bar or at a restaurant, put it on there. “It shows you’ve been committed.”
If it all seems like a bit of a slog, know it’ll all be worth it one day. “I don’t want to be in an office every day,” admits Drewitt, “but you do have to earn it.”
Climbing the ladder? How to spot the perfect next position
If you’re established in your industry and raring to go, there are three things to look for when applying for a new job, says Theo Varcoe, senior consultant and specialist legal recruiter at Bishopsgate Search. The first is team structure: you don’t want a long queue of senior personnel ahead of you blocking the way to advancement, and you need enough junior positions below your level to pass the grunt work down.
Second, structure aside, what are the opportunities for you? Can you bring in new business, and is there an opportunity to do so?
Third, what’s your day going to look like? “You need to have time and in theory, budget, to do business development,” advises Varcoe. “You don’t want to be just a service monkey who works all hours” – not least because when it comes to looking for the next job, you need to have a track record of adding value.
The questions to ask during a job interview
Experts agree it looks good if you have questions of your own to ask during an interview. If you’re applying at a senior level, especially, you should request detail on performance metrics and how they’re assessed, and what a realistic timeframe for moving up to the next level might be.
It’s ok to be picky, because “there are only so many chances to move,” but you also need to think about timing. “Some people just grin and bear a bad situation and then become desperate to get out, and don’t make a discerning decision because they’re fed up,” says Varcoe. “You’ve got to be super-specific and know all the aspects of your life, not just work. What level of autonomy do you want to have? Is this kind of work a dead end? Are the prospects good?”
Stay friends with your bosses
Mentor relationships are valuable at all stages of your career. “It’s great to have somebody who knows your market or industry, and can advise you on whether your strategy is a good one,” says Varcoe.
“Former colleagues are great for that.” So, don’t burn your bridges – stay friends with your former bosses, and one day they might be just the person to give you a helping hand.
Career change or break? Own your story
Perhaps you’ve taken time out to bring up children, or perhaps you just want a change of direction. How best to navigate the space? The key, says Julia Colegate-Stone, founder of executive search firm Hurston Eliot – who herself pivoted to recruitment 10 years ago after working first as a lawyer and then in banking – is to own your story.
“You bring a huge amount of value,” she says. So, “hold the confidence you had pre-career break, and own [the break] as an active decision. This is an opportunity to size up what’s important to you, and for you now.”
If you’re changing careers, identify what your transferable skills are and demonstrate how you used them in the past, whether that’s growing a client base, or bringing in x amount of additional revenue. Be realistic about salary – think about what’s realistic for the role you’re applying for as opposed to comparing it to what you got paid before.
Make sure a future employer, or headhunter, can identify you easily: that means polishing your LinkedIn profile, with “at a bare minimum, your experience listed, and a short paragraph for each about areas of responsibility and expertise.”
Include interests outside of work, whether that’s being a school governor, or taking part in a sporting challenge; “anything that gives you a chance of catching the eye.” Forget the long musing posts, and steer clear of the “actively looking for work” label – or don’t have it on your profile for too long, it looks desperate.
Tempted to mention your children as a reason for the break? Beware unconscious bias. “It remains a trigger point of emotion for some people,” warns Colegate-Stone. Simply calling it a “parental career break” is less loaded. And if you’ve taken time out to do a house renovation, don’t put that on your CV, “unless you happen to be an architect”.
*Beware unconscious bias*. “It *(I think wrongly)* remains a trigger point of emotion *for some people*,” *notes* Colegate-Stone. Simply calling it a ‘parental career break’ is less loaded.
If you didn’t get the job, ask them why
If you’re feeling thwarted by rejection, be tenacious. Colgate-Stone cites one candidate who got her current role after applying for another job at the same investment bank after a career break; she was rejected out of hand for the first role, but rang up and asked for specific feedback as to why.
After looking more carefully at her CV, the bank identified another upcoming job that was the perfect fit for her. “It’s really a numbers game,” admits Colgate-Stone. “The more people you talk to, the higher your chances of landing a role.”