How to succeed in a competitive job market
The UK, as well as many other countries globally, is currently experiencing a competitive job market, i.e. one in which there are more candidates seeking employment than there are available roles. The UK market has seen a concurrent rise in available workers and a fall in vacancies. The recently published August 2024 KPMG & REC UK Report on Jobs stated there is a continued decrease in vacancies – this is most marked in permanent job roles, whereas temporary vacancies actually experienced an increase for the second month in a row, so it’s not all bad news. Unfortunately though, we are in the 17th consecutive month of increasing candidate availability, so competition remains very high for positions.
There is a multitude of factors that have caused this situation; many firms were overly optimistic when hiring in 2022 which lead to later redundancies when their anticipated growth didn’t manifest. In the wake of the pandemic, economic & political uncertainty has also caused businesses to be extremely cautious when it comes to recruitment. So how can you secure yourself one of the roles which are available on the job market?
Getting your foot in the door: step one is obtaining that all important interview and the opportunity for a discussion which your chosen potential employer. Here are some ways you can stand out from the crowd to get there:
- Time to network! If your career has a relevant professional association you can join or industry events you can attend to make connections and build relationships within your field this can be invaluable. Equally, now is a great time to overhaul your LinkedIn! Ensure it’s up to date and showcases your work history and talents. Go one step further and utilise specific keywords to ensure you appear in searches for candidates. Do you have any former coworkers that can provide endorsements? Lastly, don’t forget to follow companies you’re interested in working with and make use of job alerts!
- Tailor your CV to the company you’re applying with. Take the time to go over their job spec, and incorporate their keyworks and skills required into your CV. Make sure they cannot miss the fact that you would be great in this role! Now is not the time to go into excessive detail, but if you can back up a few crucial points with an example of a relevant result you’ve achieved in a previous role this make it more obvious that you are a credible candidate
- Upskill yourself: analyse which skills are most in demand or quickly evolving in your industry and find out how you can work on these. Workshops and webinars are ideal if available, and you can also consider online courses and certifications to enhance your skillset and demonstrate your willingness to continue developing in your role.
- Marie Kondo your online presence! Give yourself a quick google to ensure that there’s nothing online within easy reach of a potential employer that might ruin your chances of an interview.
Hopefully, these tips will help you secure a conversation with your potential future employer. But how to seal the deal in the interview?
- Do your research: show you are invested in working with them, and you know what this entails. Ensure you’ve had a thorough look at their website and have looked at any recent industry articles about them, but to really impress tell them your thoughts and ideas about the news and information you’ve read.
- Be your own brand. This one is going to take a little introspection, but is worth the effort as standing out from the crowd in a competitive market is absolutely crucial. What are your key strengths and skills? What can you do better than anyone else? You want to leave a lasting impression with the people hiring for the position so that you are in the forefront of their minds after they’ve interviewed all the potential candidates.
- Be prepared! Practice example scenarios that illustrate how you’ve utilised your skillset to succeed in previous roles. Anticipate the sort of questions that might be asked and have responses ready. This is where a good recruitment agency is worth its weight in gold, as they will already know what their client is looking for, and will equip you with the tools needed to have the best possible interview. Being a confident communicator is half the battle, so although it’s easier said than done, try your best to get on top of nerves. You wouldn’t be interviewing if the company thought you had no chance at getting the job!
Time to put your best foot forward and work towards the next step on your career pathway. Hopefully the right role is just around the corner, and try not to get too disheartened if things don’t happen in the time frame you wanted – things are tough for everyone in a competitive market. If you didn’t manage to get past the interview, seek feedback as to what you might be able to work on. Again, this is something Sheridan Ward will always do for our candidates as constructive criticism can make the difference between getting the job next time or not. Stay focussed on your goals, but don’t be too rigid – would you be open to exploring another industry or type of role? A chat with a recruitment consultant may help you realise there are more opportunities out there for you than you thought!
Above all, try and maintain a positive attitude. Celebrate any small victories along the way, knowing these are stepping stones to you accepting the perfect job offer a little later down the line.
Sheridan Ward is an independent recruitment agency based in Uxbridge and covering jobs in Uxbridge, Harrow, Watford, Slough, Southall & Hayes. We mainly recruit generalist roles such as administrators, customer service vacancies, human resources, sales & marketing, finance & accounts and supply chain & logistics.
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