Looking to increase your salary?…. Have a more interesting career?…. Increase job opportunities?… Flexible study?… Have affordable training and pay how you want?… We can help you achieve all this and more!

Are You Jeopardising Your Job Search?

These job search tips can help you to land your dream job.

It is no secret that today’s job market can be very competitive. It can be so easy as a jobseeker to fall into the trap of thinking that you are not being successful simply because another, perhaps more desirable, candidate gained the position. This is not necessarily the only factor to consider though. It could be that you are unknowingly jeopardising your own job search, and a few simple changes could help you to be much more successful in finding employment.

Job Search Tips

Do your research and be prepared

Secretarial roles can vary greatly. Take time to research the company you are applying for and make sure that you understand their particular specialisms before applying for a job. It is also important to make sure that you are fully aware of all of the tasks that you will be asked to perform on a daily basis and ensure that you have the right skills to conduct them to a high standard.

Tailor your CV

When applying for a position as a Secretary, make sure that you update your CV to suit that role in particular. It’s amazing how many people don’t tailor their CVs for the positions they apply for. A great CV is essential if you want a chance of being given an interview, so it is worth taking the time to make sure everything is present and correct before submitting it. This means ensuring that there are no spelling mistakes and everything is aligned properly. Just one mistake can show that you don’t possess the attention to detail necessary to take on a role as a Secretary.

Be honest

It can be tempting to enhance your CV, and make your skills and experience seem more impressive; however, it is a huge mistake to lie on your CV. If anybody is going to find the holes in your experience or the lies you have told, it will be a recruiter. It is their job to scrutinise candidates and their CVs. During interviews you will need to explain your attributes, skills, experience and qualifications in detail, so if you have been dishonest on your CV, you will get caught at this stage.

Covering letters

Covering letters are just as important as your CV and you need to make sure that your covering letter is unique for each position you apply for. It takes time to write a new one each time you submit an application, but employers might write you off completely if they see that you are making blanket applications to lots of different companies. Taking some time to include a couple of sentences that directly relate to your reasons for choosing that particular company to work for, or highlighting examples of particular skills they requested in their advert will make all of the difference.

If you can think of some more job search tips, please leave them in the Comments below.

Article contributed by The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs

The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs (ILSPA) is a professional body who are dedicated to your career every step of the way. Whether you would like to become a Legal Secretary or you would like to advance your Legal Secretary career, they are there to support you through your journey. For more information visit www.institutelegalsecretaries.com.

Tags :
Share This :

3 Responses

  1. An interesting article. However, I do wonder when applying through a recruitment company, if a covering letter should still be included?

    1. A good point! I do think that the covering letter or email is still very important – whether communicating with a recruitment agency or directly with an organisation. The Agency will have their own way of liaising with their clients and promoting applicants. No harm in offering to prepare a letter/email so you can expand more on what you have to offer etc.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Translate »