Are you looking for a job opportunity? Or would you simply like to get more recognition for your professional profile? We have got you covered.

The job market has changed, and so have recruiting trends. This impacts both sides of the process - headhunters and candidates. There is an increasing access to transparent information, to opportunities, and a shift in priorities when deciding to commit to a professional relationship.

This is the time to make your profile stand out, both before you launch yourself into the job market, and throughout the entire recruitment process.

How can you go from a first impression to a job offer?

💪 Build knowledge and strengthen your skills:

Expand your skills and knowledge - be curious and active. By being up to date with market trends in areas and industries that interest you, the chances of finding new development opportunities increase. Make sure you build an interesting news feed on social media - adapted to your goals - and consider subscribing to newsletters (there is a big range of free ones) with exciting articles, advice, events and conferences where you can find support groups to network with, or follow industry leaders.

It is important to develop skills that are in demand in your industry. You can also do this by taking courses or certification programs, participating in online training, or seeking on-the-job training opportunities.

🔊 Have an online presence:

With the increase in virtual recruiting, having a strong online presence is a game changer. This includes having a professional looking social media profile, a well designed personal website (this applies more to creative or tech roles), and a strong online network of contacts. Make sure you increase your visibility - if posting and sharing articles on social media is not really your cup of tea, you can engage simply by liking and/or commenting on other people’s content.

Linkedin is a great way to network, and most recruiters and stakeholders use it for this purpose - so don’t be shy! Get in touch, introduce yourself, ask questions and find common interests. There are a lot of interesting people out there that are willing to connect and share advice. You can also reignite some old contacts and share updates on what you are doing at the moment and what you are and looking for.

 🔍 Get familiar with the company and the role:

You are interested in a company and want to upload your application. Before sending your CV, make sure you visit the career site or company blog to get familiarized with their mission, vision and goals, as well as the role you are applying for. Try to find out who works in that specific department, that are probably the people you are going to meet along the process.

Learn about the company culture and the tone of voice, and evaluate if it fits your own values, by figuring out your own candidate persona - who you are, what are your preferences, motivations and goals. This will not only help you determine if the job is a good fit for you but will also allow you to tailor your application and interview responses to align with the company's wants and needs.

🎯 Adapt your CV and be sure to stand out:

Each recruiter receives hundreds of applications per week, so make sure yours shines! Rather than only relying on degrees and credentials, employers are placing more emphasis on candidates' skills and abilities.

Firstly, update your bio and gather three or four sentences that tell us who you are, what you are doing at the moment, and what are you looking for. Follow with customizing the information to the job you are applying to - highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position - underline education, professional background, and achievements.

Use small sentences and connect them with metrics that quantify the work - How many customer requirements did you solve? How many sales did you generate? What was the size of the team you managed? How many projects were under your supervision?

Do not forget keywords! Select your acquired skills that might be relevant such as leadership, languages, or every tool you have considerate experience with.

Last but not least, get the design right. If you are not applying for a creative role, keep it simple and clean - this will be assessed right from the beginning as your attention to detail. Submit a portfolio of your work if it makes sense for the job position.

💌 Submit your application properly… and be prepared for good news:

You have your killer CV and you are ready to apply! First things first, make sure you apply formally. It is a good idea to engage with the recruiter via linkedin and tell them you are interested in the role, but they will have several applications to look at - so make sure yours is actually uploaded through the application form.

Job boards are still a good option to submit your application, but they are becoming less popular. Turn to social media, professional networking sites, and company websites to apply.

If you followed all our previous advice, we can tell you there is a good chance you will be called for an interview. Make a revision of your ‘homework’ - your CV, company and position. If needed, practice possible interview questions out loud. You are ready to rock it!

👋 Get your first impression right:

When going on an interview, do not forget the basics: be there on time, be polite and focused.

View the recruiter as your ‘match maker’. If you were called for an interview, it means they see you can do the job - at least, on paper! This is a two way street, so make sure you also let the recruiter know what your expectations are, what is important to you in the role and within the team. Let them know about what you aspire to do and to be.

The more relevant information you provide, the better the recruiter can match you to your ideal position. If you have done all the previous preparation, you are likely to be more self aware and more confident in your experience. Besides this, underline your abilities - what are your soft skills and how can you showcase them? Are you a good leader? A good communicator, or have really good negotiation skills? Tell us all about it, be a storyteller.

Be sure to have an example of real life situations for each request of the job description, and for each bullet you have in your CV - don't just say you have experience in something. It is always a good idea to use the STAR method to describe how you behave: you do this by specifying the situation, the task within it, the action you took, and the results you gathered.

Explain possible gaps or too little time at a role, since this might come up as a question for concern. Within this idea, do not be afraid of speaking about what went wrong in previous experiences - as long as you can present a result/learning from it. It is actually a good way to showcase your problem solving skills.

Be communicative, and mostly, an active listener. Listen and pick up on things said along the conversation to retain information and ask questions. This not only shows you have critical thinking, but also that you are interested in what was said.

💡 At Probatix, we like candidates who keep pushing forward, show ownership, and trust that the right opportunity is right here for them!

Finding the ideal job can be a challenging process, so do not forget that each stage matters. If you build a strong personal brand and profile from the beginning, you increase your chances of success. The job market in 2023 is highly competitive, and you will need to be strategic in building your profile and in your job search in order to stand out from the crowd. By developing your knowledge, tailoring your resume, networking, researching the company, and having the right approach during the interview, you will definitely stand out from other candidates.

Remember, companies want this to be a win-win situation - it is also important for you to identify with the company values, mission and vision when evaluating potential job opportunities. It should be not only a good fit for your skills and experience, but also align with your personal and professional goals.

Let your passion and enthusiasm shine through - Your hard work and dedication will pay off. You’ve got this!