Loans 2 Go: A new job for Autumn?

How online loans from Loans 2 Go can help you get back to work

Summer is often a time of change. Whether you have been away this summer or are enjoying a staycation, many people also begin to think of a new job during the summer months. Sometimes this is just because it’s a logical time: perhaps you have just finished college or university and you’re looking for your first job. But for others, just the opportunity to go away and reflect on your life makes you start to think that perhaps it’s time to change direction.

Whatever your reasons for seeking a new job this summer, here is our simple guide to job hunting. We will look at:

• The best websites for job hunting
• How to write the perfect CV
• Tips for a successful interview
• The best websites for job hunting

These days everything is done online and job hunting is no exception! But there are literally hundreds of job websites out there and you can’t possibly look at every single one. So here is a list – courtesy of Career Experts – of some of the most popular job hunting websites to get you started:

• Indeed – helps companies of all sizes hire the best talent and offers the best opportunity for job seekers to get hired.

• TotalJobs – one of the biggest job sites in the UK. With thousands of vacancies and career advice, it’s an ideal place to start job hunting.

• Reed  – features vacancies from over 25,000 recruiters a year.

• CV-Library – one of the UK’s leading job boards, CV-Library are dedicated to helping candidates locate the jobs that match them.

• Jobsite – provides relevant opportunities to connect high-quality candidates with the UK’s most successful businesses.

• Monster – helps you explore the possibilities and find the roles that are right for you.

• Adzuna – searches thousands of sites so you don’t have to and bring together millions of ads so you can find every job in one place.

• Guardian Jobs – lists the highest calibre vacancies in key sectors.

• Jobserve – one of the few job boards that employs a dedicated team to check the quality of each job and CV.

• CW Jobs – the leading specialist IT job site enabling IT jobseekers to search and apply for jobs across a throughout the UK and Ireland.

How to write the perfect CV
A CV – Curriculum Vitae – is the summary of information about you that a potential employer will look at. It is your chance to make a good first impression and can make the difference between getting an interview and not getting an interview. So it is really important to get it as good as it can be. Here is the information that you should include in a CV:

• Name and contact details. Include your phone number(s) and email address. You do not have to include your full address but do need to list your town and country.
• A personal statement that gives a brief overview of who you are and why you are suitable for the job.
• Work experience and employment history. Put your most recent experience first.
• Education and qualifications. Where and when you have studied (again, the most recent first) and the qualifications and grades you achieved.
• Additional skills and hobbies and interests – if they have particular relevance to the job.
• References: you do not need to include these but do mention that they are available on request.

The key thing is to keep your CV simple and to the point, well-formatted and presented, and with accurate and up to date information and no spelling mistakes.

Tips for a successful interview
If all the above goes well and you get called for interview then there are some things you can do to give yourself the best chance of success. Try the following tips to help you:

• Dress the part:  do some research before you go to find out what you can about the expected company dress code so that you can dress in a way that is acceptable and fits with the company culture.
• Act confidently: first impressions count! So no matter how nervous you feel, stand tall, make eye contact and give them a firm handshake. You will also find that if you act confidently then you will also start to feel more confident. But avoid the temptation to be too familiar or brash, as this is likely to count against you. Just aim to be confident, calm and professional.
• Listen: ensure you listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying. All this information is important, and it can also help you to ask the right kind of questions when you have the opportunity. Also make sure that you use nonverbal signals – such as eye contact and nodding – to let the interviewer know that you are listening.
• Don’t talk too much: Just answer the question being asked and don’t ramble on. You could be talking yourself right out of a job. It is a good idea to practice answers to likely questions before an interview. Think what you will say and practise saying it out loud so that you will be able to do that confidently on the day.
• Use appropriate language: be careful not just what you say but how you say it. Avoid any kind of swearing or slang words. Also avoid any kind of potentially controversial comments such as regarding age, race, religion, politics, or sexual orientation.
• Give personal examples: interviewers almost always ask for examples of how you have handled the kinds of project or work situation that the job will entail. Make sure you give examples that involve you personally (and say “I did” not “we did”) so that they can understand how you would be able to perform if they were to give you the job. It is a good idea to think of examples in advance and practise talking about them, as otherwise you may find that your mind goes blank in the interview and you miss a golden opportunity to convince them that you are right for the job.
• Ask questions: you will always be asked if you have any questions and if you do not have any then you are missing another opportunity. Asking questions demonstrates your interest in the job and the company and can also help you to decide whether this is the right place for you. As we mentioned earlier, the best questions can often come from asking for additional information on what you have listened to earlier.
• Don’t appear desperate: last but not least, you need to get the right balance during the interview of being genuinely interested in the job and the company but not over desperate. Be interested, calm and professional but still keep your cool so that they don’t feel awkward or uncomfortable.

Good luck with your job hunting! We hope that you are successful in your search and find something that really suits you. If you need some extra funds during your job search then Loans2Go offers a range of online loans to help you. It’s easy to apply online, and if your application is approved the money could be yours within 60 minutes. So do get in touch if we can help.