3 Pointers To Land A Job In 2021

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

2020 was an "interesting" year. Many would wish that stepping into 2021, all troubles we had in the previous year will magically disappear. But we are far from ending our war with COVID-19. Besides, the economy will need a fair amount of time to recover from the pandemic. Life still goes on. Perhaps, a new year will give us a fresh perspective. 

Job-hunting will remain challenging for many. After almost a year of adapting to massive changes in the market, we will see an increase in new job opportunities and new key industries. With most organisations have their new budgets confirmed, hiring activities will resume gradually. While waiting for the market to warm-up, this is the best time to get yourself prepared for the (job) hunting season. 

1. Have the necessities ready at all times

A big "thumbs up" to you, if you have remained active on your job hunt during the holiday season. If not, now would be the perfect time to polish both your online and offline professional profiles and kick start your job hunt. 

Update both your online and offline professional profiles.

As the pandemic still impacts many industries and left many unemployed, the competition to get a job remains relatively high. Invest time updating your resume and career profile on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Jobstreet and other job boards or portals you are planning to utilise for your applications. The information that you should not miss out are:

• A short but precise career overview/ summary.
• Legit skills that are relevant to the next job you have aimed to apply.
• Include keywords highlighting your strengths and job interests, enabling hiring managers, recruiters and ATS algorithms to find you.
• Achievements/ accomplishments throughout your career, also new skills and certifications you have obtained.
• Update your complete professional history, including the most important and relevant information.

Keep your references in the knows.

Once you have identified your reliable references, reach out and seek their consent. You want to give these individuals a thorough explanation of what will happen and what is expected next. This will then allow them to process and let you know if they can give you the best reference or otherwise.

Be sure to select the right individuals who can give you a great reference. Not necessarily, you have to choose people from your current or recent employment. It can be anyone from peers, business acquaintances, university lecturers, clients, or partners you have worked with before who can share great words and accurate facts about your skills and qualifications. With that, you will gain the upper hand of winning the job opportunity.

Continue to engage with your networks.

Don't stop your conversation with your networks after saying "Happy New Year" and your best wishes. Continue the momentum by checking in with them on how they are doing. If they are keen to continue the conversation, seek a career or any related advice from them, and share the challenges you are currently facing. You will be surprised that sometimes these little conversations will lead you to a great solution or even finding your next job. 

To have more specific insights about the next role or industry you are interested, consider expanding your network by connecting with recruiters, hiring managers or even people that would like to work with one day via LinkedIn. 

2. Be open and adapt to change

As our economy is in a recovery state, we can expect a slower hiring market. So, instead of waiting for a change to happen, take this opportunity do invest heavily in reading and researching. There is a wide variety of options to source for reading materials, be it the internet, subscribed email newsletters or newspapers. All these resources will lead you to gain more in-depth knowledge and insights on navigating your next career search mission. 

Learn about the rising industries.

In Malaysia's Economic Outlook 2021 report, Ministry of Finance (MoF) anticipate growths in the construction sector, manufacturing, agriculture, mining, services and the E&E (electrical and electronics) sector. Dive deep into these industries and learn about the types of potential roles that you can take on. 

Find out who are the current leaders and emerging companies in these sectors. For more prominent players who are currently thriving in the market, it is natural that they may consider an expansion resulting in a sudden increase in workforce hiring. Hence, creating multiple job opportunities for job hunters. 

As for emerging companies, career openings usually go to those who have vast experiences in the market that can provide sound advice and leadership or young and vibrant individuals who are eager to learn and contribute a fresh outlook.  

Research about the industry you plan to enter or remain.

Should you make the change? Many have been struggling to find an answer, especially for those from industries heavily impacted by COVID-19. Switching to a different industry is never easy for job seekers at any point in their career journey. It is often risky and takes a lot of effort to study and learn about a new industry.

If it is necessary for the change, maybe these questions can help ease your decision-making process. 

1. Can you imagine yourself being happy working in this new industry or in such working environment?
2. Do you have the financial resources to endure a prolonged job search?
3. Are your skills transferable? If not, are you open to reskill yourself and start from scratch?
4. Do you know anyone who can advise you or give you an insider's viewpoint about this new industry?
5. Can you visualise success in such circumstances for the long run?
6. If it doesn't work, what is your backup plan?

Find out what are your options.

Gig jobs (contract, temporary, freelancing) are on the rise. Just like remote work, they are both here to stay. Due to the current economy's uncertainty, many companies will be cautious with their hiring. They are likely to rely heavier on gig workers, ensuring the company isn't understaffed and work still running smoothly. Aside, recruiting full-time employees are often presumed to be more expensive and time-consuming in the selection process. 

Keep your mind open to the types of employment available in the market. There is no doubt there are cons to gig jobs, but more thoughts needed to be considered when selecting your next career. Note that research is essential in any decision making. Ensure you get the latest information on Malaysia's job market statistics through the Institute of Labour Market Information and Analysis website.

3. Stop procrastinating and start today

Cast your net wide.

Once you have your professional profiles and resume ready, let the job application begin. If you are familiar with job boards' notification function (you can find it on LinkedIn, Jobstreet, Glassdoor, etc.), make sure you turn it on and set the job suggestion criteria to match your desired positions. This way, you will get the latest notification the moment hiring companies post up a new job.

The next suggestion is to register yourself a professional account through your desired or preferred companies. Hiring companies often post up job advertisements directly through their website as not all companies prefer to work with third-party resources. Also not forgetting to register an account with recruitment companies like Adecco as we have multiple job opportunities available all year-round.

While applying for jobs, it is also ideal to look into either a level higher or lower than your current or recent position. Don't rule out the possibility that some companies may want to hire you for your experience and skill but have other openings or jobs with more innovative titles that you may miss out.

Set goals for your job hunting and achieve them.

Take some time to think about your next career jump. Ask yourself important questions before resigning from your current position or hastily accept any offer that comes to you. If needed, create a job seeker's schedule and stick to it until you see results.

Practice your interview skill and prepare your questions well.

Every interview is a moment for a job seeker to shine. A stage where you speak about your experience and let the potential employer know how you can benefit them if they have you on their team. 

Focus not only on writing an impressive resume and answering questions asked by the interviewers. Prepare a list of questions that can help you gain more information about the company, be it its work culture, opportunities for growth, employee benefits or whether the interviewer is happy working there. Asking the right questions show that you are well prepared and serious about the role you are interviewing for.

Last but not least, get your video interview game on.

Remote work is here to stay for long-term. For safety precautions, most companies will conduct job interviews virtually. Hence, it is wise to get familiarised with different conferencing tools. 

Set time aside to learn tips and tricks to look good on camera. Remember that acing your virtual interview will be your first step to have yourself being invited for a follow-up interview and ensuing your employment. 

If you find yourself in need of some help, reach out to us. Visit our career page to check out the latest job openings we have. Alternatively, you can submit your updated resume here. We care and are ready to help you!