5 tips for landing your next HR job

Whether you are transitioning from education to your first full-time position, have undertaken a career change or are an experienced HR professional looking for a more challenging role in the industry, landing the perfect job takes time, commitment and determination.

Follow our five top tips to help you stand out from the other candidates and find your next HR job.

Use a recruitment agency

Signing up to a good recruitment agency will enable you to tap into the knowledge of an expert that knows the job market you are interested in and can give you some great information and advice. They also will have HR jobs on their books that are not advertised elsewhere because some companies will use agencies as their only method of sourcing new employees, instead of sifting through a mountain of CVs themselves. The way that most recruitment agencies work is that they get paid commission for every personal that they successfully place into a job. Therefore, they will always be working in your interest and doing their absolute best to find you the right job.

Google-proof yourself

Potential employers will Google you as a fact-checking exercise and to examine your online reputation. If there is something negative online, then try to get it removed. In most cases, this will be very difficult so if you cannot remove it easily then it is worth investing some time in trying to ‘bury’ it with more recent and positive information.

You can do this by getting articles and blog posts published online that are authored by you. Next, don’t forget to look at each of your social media profiles in turn and ensure that you delete anything embarrassing that you would not want a potential employer to see. Alternatively, check your security settings and set your profiles to private. Finally, treat LinkedIn as your online CV, ensure it mirrors the physical version and contains up-to-date information and glowing endorsements from ex-colleagues, clients and suppliers.

Tailor your CV

In the search for your perfect HR job, every CV must be tailored to the position you are applying for. Research the role, company and its people in order to get a good understanding of exactly what they are looking for and how the business works. This extra effort will not go unnoticed and will help you to stand out.

Be web-savvy

Use the internet to apply & search for jobs online and also for researching purposes. Also, consider creating your own website with a career-orientated blog, professional photo and CV. This will help you to stand out from the crowd. Finally, ensure you have a professional-sounding email address. Don’t be tempted to use the email address that you set up 20 years ago because you use it for everything else. First impressions count and seeing something like an unprofessional email address on your CV can quickly turn a potential employer off.

Learn to deal with rejection

Rejections are a part of job hunting, especially for highly competitive and over-subscribed positions. The important thing is to not take this rejection personally and to use the frustration you may be feeling as a springboard for future job applications and interviews.  Constantly be looking to tweak your job applications and if the rejections are stacking up, then put more time and effort into your job applications. Remember to allow yourself a day to lament to avoid a post-rejection slump so that you can get back to job hunting.