Optimise Your Job Search

Emily

Hello and welcome back to the Guide to Job Searching! If you've been tuning in, you know we've covered everything from strategic planning to mastering interviews—but today we're diving deep into how to actually drive your job hunt forward and stay focused. I'm Emily, here as always with Tom—

Tom

Hi Emily, Hi Everyone - good to be here once again.

Emily

If you already listened to our episode on 'Finding Your Why', you'll remember we talked a lot about reflecting on those deeper motivations. It’s about asking: what do I stand for? What are deal-breakers for me? workplace culture, values, flexibility, that kind of thing. But one thing is for certain throughout the process and that is - Being Pro Active Matters!! It can give you a timing advantage and it gets you in to a conversation early on.

Tom

That makes perfect sense because many many opportunities aren't even posted on jobsites, they're just sort of... handed off within networks or communities. Infact, it can be quite demanding and expensive for companies to hire, so many will lean on contacts, recommendations or referrals.

Emily

Exactly. Your career is a long term project, not a short term reaction.- Proactivity isn't about being pushy, it's about taking ownership. And it's not just about cold emailing some corporate giant and hoping for the best. It's finding organisations that actually reflect your values and what you want from a workplace. For me, reaching out to a local sustainability-focused charity—literally just sending a friendly email—turned into this incredible freelance project that honestly felt so much more rewarding than half the advertised jobs I saw. Sometimes it's about value alignment, not just ticking boxes on a job description. When viewed in the context of a plan, as discussed in our earlier episodes, every action will feel lighter, less desperate and more authentic and exciting.

Tom

I love that. And, you know, if you're thinking, "How do I even begin to find these like-minded organisations?"—start with a bit of research. Maybe look at organisations or companies working in sectors or causes you care about, A lot of these places aren't placing every opening on Indeed or LinkedIn, but they might have a "work with us" page to let you register your interest. Even if nothing's open right now, showing genuine curiosity makes you memorable.

Emily

Absolutely. And you don't always have to go big straight away. Volunteering can give you just enough of a foot in the door to see what the place feels like, and you get a genuine sense if your values align. Plus, it adds immediately relevant experience. I mean, if you wanted to get into programming, sure, you could take an online course, but you could also join open-source projects on GitHub, start contributing, and—suddenly—you're building both your skill set and your network strategically.

Tom

Yeah, and those are low-pressure ways to start a conversation with someone. Informational interviews are another one—just a chat to learn, not to beg for a job. And, I mean, it can feel awkward, but most people love talking about their own journey. I always say, reach out, ask a few thoughtful questions, even follow up with a genuine thank-you. If nothing else, you leave an impression. Over time, you’re not only in their contacts—you’re in their minds for the right role.

Emily

And that's it—don't underestimate how far a small gesture travels. The key thing is, keep it real. Stay curious, respect their time, show genuine interest, and if you're following up, mention what you've learned from them. That way you're investing in an authentic relationship instead of, well, just networking for networking's sake.

Tom

Alright, so I think we can all agree networking’s crucial. So perhaps you can plan to attend at least one industry event or webinar a month. Perhaps you can also sign up to professional associations, online forums, or subscribe to newsletters from the industries you want. But let’s talk about where most of those first impressions actually happen nowadays—yep, LinkedIn. And honestly, if I have to look at one more half-finished, pictureless profile, I might... well, I won't do anything but I'll be disappointed, okay? You gotta sort your LinkedIn out!

Emily

A hundred percent. Especially because recruiters, are not just scanning CVs. They're searching for keywords, for skills, for interesting people. Your LinkedIn is kind of your digital shop window. And actually, Tom, didn't you recently get a bump in profile views just by tweaking your headline?

Tom

Yeah, absolutely. I spent, what, fifteen minutes rewriting my headline—just actually saying what I do and where I want to go, rather than just "Trainer." And, crucially, I added a bunch of portfolio links under the “Featured” section. Within a week, saw a noticeable jump in profile activity. It sounds small, but completeness and clarity genuinely matter. And another example I can give you is of a former colleague of mine, Mia, used to regularly post analysis of marketing trends in the accountancy software industry, on LinkedIn. After a few months she was approached by a company specialising in that field offering her a senior role within their organisation.

Emily

That's so interesting isn't it? I think that’s key: don’t just list jobs you want. - Fill everything out—headline, summary, experience, skills. And make your headline more than your job title. For example, "Marketing Manager passionate about social impact" or, you know, "Aspiring programmer contributing to open-source sustainability." It's about communicating what sets you apart, not just what box you tick. Oh, and please add a clear, professional photo! No wedding selfies or passport photos.

Tom

And don’t forget the cover banner. Even just a simple background, or something showing you at work—makes a world of difference. Also: if you’re between jobs, mention what you’re looking for directly in your "about" or even as your job entry. Recruiters do search by those fields, so don’t leave them blank out of awkwardness.

Emily

Great point. I love how LinkedIn lets you showcase more than a CV—add volunteering, certifications, even attach media, or a case study if you have it. And use keywords everywhere: not just “motivated,” but “JavaScript developer with experience in agile teams”—get specific. Also, engage! Don’t just lurk. Like posts, join discussions, even post an article or share thoughts from what you’re learning. That way, recruiters see you’re active and engaged in your field, not just updating your profile once every five years.

Emily

So, you’ve got the contacts, you’ve cleaned up your digital presence. What next? It's really key to properly read and address those job specs. Like, not just skim—actually break down what they’re really asking for. Is it a must-have skill, like “needs to code in Python,” or more of a “nice-to-have,” like, you know, “familiarity with video editing software”?

Tom

It’s funny, I always used to lump every requirement together and think, “Oh, there’s five things I can’t do, guess I’m out.” But if you start matching your actual skills to what’s essential, you spot gaps that are actually bridgeable. And those gaps—they’re often not as big as they seem at first glance.

Emily

Exactly. I remember coaching someone who was eyeing this digital marketing role. She kept thinking she was unqualified, but when we sat down and compared the job spec to her skills, she already ticked most of the ‘must-haves’. She just needed, I think, one certification around some of the video editing software, so she did an online course and—done! Suddenly she was way more confident and actually competitive.

Tom

That’s a great example. And there are so many ways now to fill those gaps without overloading yourself. The thing is, you don’t need to do every course on earth, just pick the things that actually move you forward. Focus on stuff mentioned in multiple job specs for your field. That’s a hint it’s actually essential and worth your time.

Emily

And if you feel stuck, reach out to someone already in the job—or join a LinkedIn group for that role. It’s a really good way to get the inside scoop on what’s genuinely useful and what’s just HR speak. Some skills really only make sense in context. Don’t overwhelm yourself by thinking you need every "desirable" listed. Prioritise and pace it, or “upskilling” just becomes “procrastinating.”

Tom

Absolutely. And, just like you said, upskilling doesn’t always mean another qualification. Sometimes it’s completing a project, building a small app, or volunteering for a real-world task. Those might even make your application stand out more than, you know, endless certificates. Again, it all comes back to strategic effort, not blanket effort.

Emily

Alright, let’s wrap up with the next big milestone—interviews. We actually deep-dived into interview prep last episode, so check that out for the full rundown. But, just to recap, practice the common questions for your target roles, and get your real-life stories ready—those STAR responses. It’s not enough to say you “work well in teams,” you need an example that brings it to life.

Tom

And don’t forget, research every organisation before you chat with them. Go beyond just “read the website”—find their mission, check their latest news, understand who’s on their leadership team or, you know, what big changes they’ve had recently. It gives you such an edge for asking insightful questions instead of, well, the usual “what’s the culture like?” routine.

Emily

Like we said, please give a listen to our previous episodes, especially episode 5 in this series, to get some valuable insights, hints and tips on preparing for interviews and assessments as there are plenty of ways that you can practice and become proficient in these areas. Once again - It's all about being proactive and taking the initiative.

Tom

Something else I would like to mention here though before we wrap this one up, is addressing some of those common barriers that you may be worrying about. Let's take some examples and go through them one at a time: Firstly " I don't have time" - The thing about job searching is that it needs to be taken seriously, almost like a job in itself. Putting aside time, be it 20 minutes in the morning or an hour in the evening is essential in order to get you where you want to be. If you don't spend dedicated time and make a commitment, well, in all honesty, you're just being hopeful, rather than taking responsibility to make it happen. - Secondly you may be thinking I'm a slightly introverted person who doesn't like meeting strangers and making small talk. Well, networking doesn't have to be like that. messaging people online, or having a phone chat with someone can also be a powerful form of networking and lead to some really meaningful conversations. And finally "fear of rejection". - Nobody likes the fear of putting themselves out there and hearing nothing back. But let's reframe it. Don't go in to networking looking for a quick yes/no response. Look at it as if you are just planting seeds and laying the ground work for opportunities that may arise in the future. Even if you say send out 10 emails, you're only looking for the one single response that lead you onto that path you want and then the other 9 responses won't matter! Just look at all these barriers as a part of the process, something to be expected.

Emily

Thanks Tom that's really great stuff. So that's it for this episode, we hoped you enjoyed it and found it useful. Don't forget if you need any further support or information don't forget to get in contact with us here at Works for Us. —In the meantime keep putting yourself out there, we’ll see you again soon. Bye for now.