Your dream job is out there, somewhere; you’ve just got to find it. And according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics there are plenty of options for you. In May this year there were approximately 146, 000 job vacancies in Australia, up 2.1% from February, and whilst it’s likely that out of all those positions there are some that don’t fall into that dream category of yours, unless you’re blessed with some kind of inhuman super job scouring strength, you won’t necessarily even be in a position to know.
Figuring out how to separate the wheat from the chaff in the job market can seem like a task of biblical proportions for your average job seeker, but for those willing to take advantage of the technologies available to them, finding the perfect role is more possible now than ever before.
top tip 1: use your mobile
According to research conducted by Google and Ipsos Media in 2013, 77% of Australians don’t leave their homes without their device. Furthermore, 82% of the population uses their phone on the go with 75% also using a device at work. Needless to say, and as the ‘Our Mobile Planet: Australia’ report finds, smartphones are “indispensable to daily life”.
So how can your smartphone help you find that once in a lifetime role?
Start by using an effective platform to search for jobs. Sites that are optimised for mobile use don’t just look like miniature versions of a website, they are fully responsive, which means jobs are easy to view no matter where you are or what device you use. Features to help you find the right jobs include those on the new Randstad website like:
- Simplified application processes (without lengthy application forms)
- Easy to use navigation menus
- Buttons positioned and sized for smaller screens
- Adapted mobile advertising, if it applies
If you’re prepared, applying directly via a mobile device is oftentimes more efficient than using a desktop computer.
top tip 2: optimise your CV
Scott Belsky, Vice President of Community at Adobe, says, “Optimisation isn’t about making drastic changes…the key to optimisation is making incremental tweaks…” As such, you don’t need to reinvent your CV to get the most out of it; you just need to optimise it. According to Google’s ‘The New Multi-screen World’ report, 90% of people move between devices to accomplish a goal, so having a version of your CV saved to your mobile device will greatly decrease barriers that prevent you from applying to a job ad at a minute’s notice.
Users can also use cloud technology such as Google Drive, Dropbox and We Transfer to store and send resumes. Increasingly, employers are enabling job seekers to apply through sites such as LinkedIn and The Loop, which means you should ensure your CV is adaptable across multiple social platforms. If you choose to host your CV on a website, you may also wish to include key words and a simplified bullet point structure.
top tip 3: personalised search
Lastly, make searching for jobs even more efficient by taking advantage of the personalised search feature on the new Randstad website. Once you have created a myrandstad account, allow the technology to find relevant jobs for you based on your previous searches.
As the trend towards mobile continues to penetrate the recruitment industry, smart job seekers will get ahead by essentially automating processes. By using mobile devices, having their applications optimised for all opportunities and relying on recommended job ads based on previous user behaviour, these applicants are in a better position to find their dream job than those with no considered approach to utilising the technology around them.