Avoid Your Job Search Sell-By Date

The good news is that now hiring is on the up, you are more likely to find a job in 2011 than you were in 2010 (according to recruitment market reports). But many people have found themselves ‘on the shelf’ for a year or more, making it more difficult to get a recruiter to put you forward for interviews.

Unfortunately, some recruiters’ definitions of ‘worthwhile candidates’ are people who are either currently in work or who have only recently left their job. So all those people who’ve been out of work for a year or more don’t even register on some recruiters’ radar.

Thankfully this isn’t always the case, but some recruiters still believe that the longer you’ve been unemployed, the more difficult you are to place in a job. But what they really mean by ‘worthwhile’ is ‘fresh’. If you’re stale, recruiters think there must be a reason you’ve been rejected for other roles.

What you need to do is appear fresh so that you can compete with the newer candidates coming on to the market. Here are 10 tips to avoid reaching your job search expiration date:

1. Take a freelance or contract role in your sector.
2. Take a seasonal job.
3. Are any of your family self-employed or run their own business? Help them out for free and add that experience to your CV.
4. Volunteer to help at your children’s school or a local charity.
5. Renovate your house or work on an at-home project.
6. Go on a course – something that leads to career-specific certification.
7. Take a big trip and seek experience abroad.
8. Don’t put your leaving date on your CV – but don’t lie (e.g. putting a fake date).
9. Make sure that you update your CV at least monthly and upload fresh versions on to job boards and recruitment databases.
10. Build your contact database by networking with the right people in your industry.

Do the above and you’ll have something positive to say about your recent activity, despite being out of work for a sustained period of time. It will help you stay focussed, motivated and proactive.