As a leading training provider in this region we often get enquiries for training courses from people who have recently been made redundant. The following list of tips is based on conversations with our students who quickly found work after studying with us. It is a quick summary how their approach to job finding and personal outlook may have helped them.

Remain Positive

It is natural to feel down heartened after losing your job. However you should try to remain positive and avoid thinking that redundancy is a reflection on you and your abilities. We are seeing more and more experienced, well qualified and capable people being made redundant as companies have no other option than letting good people go. This means that it is becoming more competitive for each position but your should try to remain confident in each application. If you do not have confidence you need to find a way to get it back. Counselling or learning new skills may help you.

Be more flexible

Take time to think about what work you want to do in future and what you think you are realistically qualified for. One lady applying for a work recently told us that 350 people applied for one position as a secretary. The most popular jobs will always have the most applications therefore consider working in a different line of business, role or town. For example if you were previously a legal secretary your word processing and typing skills may make you an ideal candidate for a position as a medical secretary.

Review your skills and plug the gaps

Put yourself in the mind of the recruiter. If you have two applicants for a position, one who says they are familiar with word processing and spreadsheets and the other who has up to date and recognised certificates in Microsoft Word and Excel who are they going to choose? Be honest with yourself and take a realistic view of your abilities. Even during this recession there are still lots of new jobs but the bar you must cross to get one is set higher and higher.

Update your CV

Your CV is critical to finding employment. It is therefore absolutely essential that it is up to date, in the right format and best expresses your skills, capabilities and work experience. Experts say that you have less than 5 seconds to catch the eye of the person reading the CV so if it does not match the recruiter's requirements then your application will be unsuccessful. Another important consideration is that every CV should be unique for that application. Never be tempted to send a standard CV for a job application. The recruiter wants to see that you have seriously considered the role and that your skills match their requirements.

Apply for jobs - not as obvious as you think!

You will be amazed how often we hear that people do not apply for jobs because they think their application will not be successful, even though they have many of the employer's requirements. Try to view the job finding process as a funnel consisting of distinct stages. The first stage (i.e. the top of the funnel) may be buying your local paper every week to research the job adverts, the second will be sending off your CV, the third getting interviews and finally, (the bottom of the funnel) being offered a position. Quite simply, the more jobs you apply for the more chance you have of finding work.

Networking

It's surprising how many jobs are found by word of mouth or contacts via friends or family. For this reason try to speak to as many people as you know about their work and whether they know of any forthcoming vacancies. Being involved in other activities (see below) often opens doors to other opportunities that you would otherwise miss.

Keep Busy

Even though finding a job can be a full time job in its own right it is important to be busy doing something else. This includes, volunteer work, training or some other form of self-improvement. This shows your potential employer that you are a proactive person who sees adversity as a challenge and an opportunity to improve your skills. It also fills a potentially larger and larger gap on your CV while you're looking for work.

The interview

It is highly unlikely that you will get a job without and interview therefore your mission is to get as many as possible - even if you do not want the job! The practice you get could mean the difference between success and failure when you have your next interview. We always say to students that if you get an interview the job should be yours because the recruiter would not have called you in unless they felt you could do the job. The purpose of the interview is for you to demonstrate that the CV is accurate and impress them with your personality. Once again, put yourself in the mind of the recruiter - ask yourself why should they hire you? When you know the answer make sure you tell them or show them why in the interview.

Do not fall into the 'Trap'

If you do all the things identified in the points above you will undoubtedly increase your chances of finding work. However, it may still take a few weeks or even months to get the job you want. Quite often we speak to people who have been looking for over six months with few if any interviews. We call this the 'Trap'. They do the right things, such as regularly applying for jobs etc but they do not recognise that there is something missing in their CV. Ultimately, that is why they are having no success. Unfortunately, with every week that passes the problem is compounded as they become more and more out of touch with the world of work. The people who find work quickly are those who recognise that they have to be proactive from day one. They quickly assess their abilities and skills and start to improve them immediately rather than try the 'I'll wait and see' approach. Ask yourself which one are you!