By Sarah Harvey of Harvey Lawrence. In my many years ... company, location and salary expectation will be time well -spe
By Sarah Harvey of Harvey Lawrence In my many years as a construction recruiter, I have seen various large construction businesses fail but none the size of Carillion. Nonetheless they were significant businesses that pushed large numbers of individuals into forced job hunting mode. Having watched how these events unfolded and having been asked many times over the last few days by Carillion staff for some advice on seeking out job opportunities, I thought that I would offer what I feel are useful tips in getting a decent job against this background. - Easier said than done but try at all costs to avoid a scattergun approach and don’t allow your CV to be bombarded into the market place. You want to be seen as a selective jobseeker to potential employers. You don’t want your CV to be submitted multiple times and risk employer standing back from interviewing you. - Similarly you may think you haven’t got much time but it is key that you really ask yourself what you are looking for. This is a job move that, in most cases, has been forced so you haven’t really had time to think about this. A bit of thought now in terms of role, project, type of company, location and salary expectation will be time well -spent and will help to mitigate against a hurried and potentially wrong career move. I often see people that are the victims of a business failure rush out and secure a job within days and are back looking again within a few months. I appreciate that there may be financial pressures that take over but sometimes “thinking time” is time well -invested.
- If you don’t know any recruitment agencies ask colleagues for referrals and always, always ask them not to mass mail your CV. Work with one, maximum two agencies and that way they will be motivated to perform. You want them to think that their efforts will be worthwhile and that way they are unlikely to blast your CV around the market.
- A clean, concise layout of your CV is important, especially important at the moment with so many Carillion CVs in circulation. Employers want your project experience, role and responsibilities to “jump off” the page. They don’t want to have to find it lost in extensive text. It is also a good idea to show your progression so indicate the time periods held at various levels. If possible, ask for a written reference from a line manager. - Dependant on your situation, think about timing and therefore opportunity. If you are going to be paid until the end of the project, perhaps it is a public sector project, is there an opportunity to be had by staying and seeing the project through. Appreciate that this will require careful consideration but it could also give you some time to find the right role. - It always surprises me how few people actually do a credit check on their potential employer. Effectively you are reliant on any potential employer to pay your mortgage or rent indirectly. Credit checks will show you the cash position and I am sure that this will be very relevant information Also if you really think about it, you will know someone that already works there, or someone that knows someone that works there. Seek opinion and establish facts.
