It's interesting because I've heard a lot of negative press about Freshminds Recruitment recently. They're an industry leader and have won award after award over the past few years, but it appears that even they can't cope with the sheer volume of applicants and job seekers right now. I remember when I first got onto their books, I went in for an interview and we assessed my situation and me. Standard stuff really. But then they really came into their own, or at least my rep, Catherine, did. She wouldn't leave me alone and got me interviews here, there and everywhere. She did the running and I could pick and choose what I wanted to apply for at leisure. It was sooo easy, almost too easy. I even had a few job offers thrown at me, some of which were very tempting, but in the end I went my own direction.
That was then; that was when they were winning all the prizes.
Fast forward a couple of years and things have changed. Catherine's no longer there so I have someone else. She's bright, she's focussed, she's capable and she does think outside of the box, putting me forward for some interesting roles. Sadly, for various reasons none of these roles have materialised. More frustrating though is the fact that each time a role falls through I appear to be placed firmly back onto the scrap heap. All of a sudden my name appears to be black listed. I have become "too difficult" to place, perhaps? It is only when I ring up for a chat that there ever seems to be a role that might be of interest to me. Coincidence? I don't think do
How to win
What I am fast learning is that no one else appears to have your best interests at hear anymore. You just can't afford to sit tight and expect to be spoonfeed with the job market as it is currently is. You have to look after your own best interests. Recruiters now have a wealth of candidate choice meaning that they can focus their energies on the quick sales, filling the easiest roles and keeping the cash flow steady. So you have to do everything within your power to keep your name in their consciousness, pressing them regularly for job specs. You need to be leaning forward and keen (to the point of being a bit of a bore) and, perhaps most importantly, you need to let them know exactly what you're capable of and what you're looking for. This is best done face-to-face when you can explain in detail your CV. So pick up the phone (they never seem to get my emails) and ask to see someone. That way you're serious. That way you've got their attention.
A flexible route to success
Whilst it is crucial to come across as focussed there is a school of thought that says one should also be flexible. There are less jobs out there at the moment and more people going for them. It is, to all intents and purposes, a buyer's market. So if you want a job it's worth being open minded about the way forward. Although the proposed role may not be exactly what you thought you were looking for, so long as you are using and developing your core skills, considering it will mean that you're a) still firmly in the recruiters' minds, b) getting valuable interview practice and c) becoming more aware of what is out there. And who know, you may even get a job offer out of it.
Some Tortoise Tips
One minor success that I did have recently was managing to organise a meeting with Freshminds' head of marketing. An enthusiastic and amusing guy, he did give me two pieces of very good advice:
1/ Make sure that you have a presence (that you control and regularly update) on Google. One of the first thing that employers do nowadays is look up a potential candidate's name on the internet. Recruiters too. So try setting up a blog, starting a Twitter account or even getting yourself onto a network such as LinkedIn because it will serve to give you credibility and to be honest it's just quite fun.
2/ Read around what you think you want to do. Have context. See the bigger picture. I said that I wanted to go into Sales and Marketing and he told me the names of some books and magazines to read. You don't just want to know the latest developments, but it's good to know who the trailblazers were in your chosen industry. - the guys that developed new thinking and set new trends. It makes you come across as a more 3 dimensional character in interviews and if nothing else it makes the world of work that little bit more interesting.
Becoming a "Mind":
One rather good thing that Freshminds can offer graduates (who have left a number of top universities - not just Oxbridge) with good degrees (2:1 and above) as well as more experienced jobseekers is the opportunity to become a "mind". By becoming a mind you join one of two teams, interim or research. The idea is that part-time or even full-time (should they or one of their clients really like you) you will work on behalf of Freshminds on research and other projects commissioned to them by clients. These range in bredth, depth and specialisation, but it gives you something else to put on the CV, further develops your research skills and again gives you access to new industries and companies with whom you might not have had any contact otherwise.
Slow but steady wins the race...
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