Jobseekers: How to stand out in 2021

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There was a time when looking for a new job necessitated presenting a professional-looking CV to potential employers and hoping it would stand out. But that day is gone.

Why would employers wade through applications – many of which won’t suit the job spec – when technology allows them to search for and source their ideal candidate? If you think you should be in the running for an upcoming role, then it’s up to you to manage your digital presence, be it on LinkedIn or other sites that you can use for promotional purposes. It’s all about hyping your talents – without being either vague or overly boastful. You really have to do a good PR job on yourself.

Digital footprint

A good starting point is to audit your digital footprint and take cognisance of the message it’s sending. You should see if you’re drawing the right type of searches. Also, assess how strong your influence and credibility are in your profession. Are there networking groups that you can join to both learn and impress others with your approach to business? Making an impact is vital.

Now that many of us are working from home as a result of the pandemic, it’s important that your ‘presence’ isn’t forgotten.

Whether that’s online or – in what we hope will be a post-covid world in 2021 – at industry events. You need to be conscious of your profile, seeing it as the professional extension of yourself.

Inevitably, the job market is going to be affected by Covid-19 well into 2021. The competition will be stiff. People who are proactive and ahead of the posse will suit the market and get hired.

Remote working means organisations can take advantage of a wider talent pool, even hiring in countries outside of their bailiwick. But this should also give potential employees a broader base in which to source jobs. Job seekers need to cast their net right across their industry in our global village that is hyper-connected.

Problem-solving

In order to stand out from the crowd, why not do your best to identify the problems that trouble the company you’re targeting. If you can suggest ways of making operations better, faster, easier or more profitable, you will impress whoever is hiring. You have to be worth your salary. Prove that you can justify it and the hirer will undoubtedly be swayed in your favour.

Invest in your skillset

The year of Covid-19 was also the year of Zoom for virtual meetings. It’s just one example of technological innovation reshaping the world of work. Skill gaps are emerging. You need to invest in your skills if you don’t want to be left behind. This doesn’t mean retraining for a new more cutting-edge career. Just focus on being cutting-edge in your current job. That means continually up-skilling and remaining relevant. Keep an eye on trends in your area. You may need to do further study or complete an online course. The message is never to become stagnant.

Technology

If technology is your area of specialty, you’re in luck as tech professionals are crucial to facilitate the ongoing move towards remote working. Infrastructure professionals are needed to ensure that systems are running properly to maintain business as usual. Support, security and IT administrators are in demand as well as development professionals within financial institutions and development companies.

There has also been a rise in demand for communications and content specialists. Just like IT, those involved in marketing can carry out their work from a laptop at home.

In some ways, it has never been easier to work now that long commutes are a thing of the past. But in other ways, the marketplace has never been so competitive. It’s all about equipping yourself with the skills needed for today’s demanding job market.

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“MSD was already creative when pitching ourselves as a great company to work for, and now this crisis has challenged us to be even more innovative”- Maria Cullen, Talent Acquisition lead at MSD Ireland

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