Job searching can be tough, but there are plenty of tools out there to help you. Here, technology writer Gemma Church picks out five of the best tools to help job seekers take the next step on their career path:
In the noise of the online world, it seems impossible to stand out from the crowd when you’re job hunting.
There are so many tools promising to revolutionise your CV, boost your skills and find you the perfect job, but most aren’t worth the virtual paper they’re written on.
Finding a job isn’t as easy as uploading an app or sending off one CV to one employer. It takes time and persistence – but these tools could help you to streamline your job hunt and maximise your chances:
Create/update your CV
As a first step on your job hunt, you’ll need to brush off your CV. If you want to save some time, but still get a professional end product, Standard Resume is a great tool and it’s free to use.
You just register for an account and import your LinkedIn profile to automatically create an online CV of your skills and experience.
The data from your LinkedIn profile is broken down to create this simple webpage, which you can further customise and share with potential employers.
Proofread, proofread and proofread again
Next, check your CV is written properly. One riddled with typos and grammatical errors is the biggest gripe with employers, according to recent findings from the New College of the Humanities (NCH) where researchers interviewed more than 860 recruiters.
The Grammarly tool is a great resource to highlight such mistakes. The free version of this tool automatically scans your work for more than 250 grammatical errors and also catches contextual spelling errors and poor vocabulary usage.
It works whenever you write online so, whether you’re writing an email or your CV, it will let you know if you’ve made a mistake.
If you upgrade to the Professional version of this tool (for a fixed monthly fee), it is also available to use directly in Microsoft Office.
First impressions count, so it could be a worthwhile investment.
Beat the paper sifting stage
So, your CV looks great and reads well. But can it be read by the software so many recruiters now use at the paper sift stage?
You could be consigning your CV to the virtual recycling bin unless you double check.
ValueMyCV is a CV-scanning tool based around the same type of software that recruiters use, so it will make sure your CV passes this preliminary test.
That’s not all. It will also use various data points contained in your CV to give you a salary expectation based on your skills and experience, as well as the current market conditions.
It’s incredibly easy to use. You just upload your CV and, within a few seconds, your information has been processed to provide an estimate of the salary you should command.
It’s also linked to the Adzuna job search engine so, once the CV scan is complete, you get a handful of recommended jobs, as well as a “skills cloud” and a one-line summary of your CV.
These features are useful on two fronts. First, you know your value. The skills cloud and salary estimate give you a clear idea of the type of job and salary to aim for.
Second, it highlights flaws in your CV. It will catch red flags such as unexplained gaps in your timeline that could turn potential employers off.
This is unique compared to other salary estimate services. It gives you a full picture of how recruiters will read and analyse your CV, so you know it will be seen by the right people and you have the best chance of getting the salary you deserve.
Manage your job search
Searching for a job can feel like a job in itself. You’ll need to keep track of potential employers and jobs, applications both pending and complete, and the contacts you make as you try to further your career.
Trello is a fantastic organisational tool to help you manage your job hunt. It breaks down your search (or whatever project you’re working on) into a board. This board is then divided into columns (known as lists) and tasks (known as cards) that pass along the columns from left to right.
For example, you could create one board to keep track of your current job applications. The application process could be split up into five lists: potential applications, application in progress, application submitted, interview scheduled, application rejected.
Each job application is a card, which passes along the columns of the board from left to right.
You can add details to the card so, if your application is unsuccessful, you can make notes on any feedback you get, for example.
It doesn’t have to end there – you could create boards to organise recruiters or companies of interest, for example.
You have to be disciplined though as every bit of information must be entered by you into the system. If you commit to using it, it will help you.
Prepare for your interview
Once your applications are underway, you’ll need to prepare for the interview stage.
Big Interview is a one-stop shop to improve your interview skills. It offers training and practice interviews to job seekers to help you build confidence, answer those unexpected questions and rock your interview.
If you sign up, you can choose from a range of curricula to guide you through your interview prep. For example, the “fast track” curriculum will quickly cover essential tips and common questions, or you can sign up for the “mastery track” to get more in-depth advice for those ultra-competitive interviews.
You can also do online industry-specific practice interviews, including competency-based questions.
The site was developed by top interview coach Pamela Skillings, who spent 12 years as a senior human resources and marketing executive for big businesses including Morgan Stanley, MasterCard International and Citigroup.
It’s one of the most complete interview prep services out there. You can sign up for a seven-day trial, then there’s a monthly fee of $25 for this service.