There is a lot of mystique about job hunting and much talk of an elusive unadvertised jobs market, some of which is misleading. In simple terms, there are four main routes to a job:
Advertisements – in the press (national, industry sector journals or professional media); on internet jobsites (some feature a broad spectrum of jobs, others are very specialised - in both cases, make sure you know how to search out the jobs you want).
Search & Selection Consultants – there are more than 500 in the UK, so you need to focus on those that handle your type of position. Identify them from recruitment advertisements, review their websites or obtain a copy of Executive Grapevine, the directory of recruitment consultants (www.askgrapevine.com).
Direct approaches – the process of identifying companies that you would like to work for and sending them your details. Again, websites can be helpful for more information and some include a career opportunities page. Target the MD or HR Director. Do not expect many ‘hits’, but when you do get a response, you may be just what the company is looking for.
Networking – most of us know more people than we realise. Track down everyone you know in a work context, and perhaps social contacts, and tell them that you are on the market. They will probably not have a job for you, but they may know someone who does. Avoid the ‘give us a job’ style of conversation; instead remember that you are the answer to someone's recruitment problem and you need some help to find each other.
