Searching for a new job is never easy at the best of times.
In the current COVID-19 situation the challenge has in my view got even bigger.
I was presenting on a webinar for accountants fairly recently.
At the start of the webinar I ran a poll.
It was a straight forward yes or no poll.
The question was whether those attending the webinar were actively looking for a job.
76% of the attendees were.
So what that tells me is that there are a lot of highly talented and capable accountants out on the market looking for that next role.
In normal circumstances, depending on what level you are at, it might have been that you reached out to recruiters and let them find the next role for you.
This can still of course be one of your channels for your job search.
However, what you have to realise is that organisations if recruiting are going to looking to do this in the most cost effective way. This is particularly true if the sector or industry they operate in has been adversely impacted by COVID-19.
What this means for you as a candidate is that you have to broaden the channels that you use.
So what other channels might you use?
Responding To Adverts To Roles Put On LinkedIn By Employers
In some respects it’s gone full circle since I started out in my career 40 years ago.
Back then it might have been traditional media like newspapers and professional journals.
Now social media and LinkedIn in particular are great places for employers to source candidates directly.
You can even set up alerts so you don’t miss out on opportunities.
Company Websites
Most companies have websites. Many have a specific page for career opportunities.
If you have particular companies that you are targeting you can visit the careers section of their website to see if they have suitable roles.
Industry Specific Job Boards
The NHS and Charities are just two specific examples of sites where the have their own specific job portals where vacancies are advertised.
They often have great search capabilities so you can really streamline your search.
Your Network
Many organisations now have referral schemes whereby if staff they currently employ introduce someone for a vacancy there’s a financial reward.
Trouble is accountants are sometimes a little reluctant to reach out to their network and ask for help.
I don’t recommend a public post on somewhere like LinkedIn but instead reach out to past colleagues and those who know you well.
Direct Approaches
This might not be that effective and at the same time you have nothing to lose.
I don’t suggest sending a CV initially.
Just send a short letter to someone like the FD or CFO introducing yourself and enquiring if they are actively recruiting.
You may get a reply and you may not. Equally the timing might just be right.
So over to you. Are you utilising all available channels in your job search or are you just relying on what’s familiar?Get Your Free Online Job Search Course