If you are looking to seek out new employment opportunities, the world of job hunting can be daunting to say the least. The current role you have may be quite the safety net that is difficult to escape. You might be able to do your current role blindfolded and with your hands tied behind your back. You might have very little stress in your current job. And you might enjoy some office banter now and then. However, you might be wholly unfulfilled and not challenged in any way. While this can make your work days free from pressure and incident, it can also result in them becoming boring and tedious. No one wants to spend eight hours a day sitting on their hands and seeing their professional lives slip away.

It’s up to you to be proactive and do something about it. This means putting yourself back out there and trying to get back into the hiring line. While scary, you may find your dream role and secure a promotion in the process.

Think Big

Having a decade or more of experience in your current line of work should stand you in good stead. You need to put yourself out there in the best possible light, and while it might not be the most comfortable experience in the world, you do need to sing your own praises. This means highlighting everything that you have achieved so far in your career. Have you saved your company money? Have you implemented a more efficient way of working? Or are you adept at carrying out in house training? These skills will make an employer sit up and take notice of your resume.

When looking at the sorts of companies that you want to work for, think big. If you want to work for a larger, more prominent company within your industry sector, go for it. Consider those firms that are doing well and on the verge of a merger or who are performing well in the FTSE 100. If you see a large attorney that is merging with another, the resultant companies will be in the process of re branding law firms so that they are a larger and more global entity. Getting into a company at this point of their expansion can make for an exciting role giving you the opportunity to make a real impact.

Be Bespoke

Don’t take a scattergun approach to your job hunt and make sure that you are nuanced in your reasoning. Consider the location you want to work in, the size of firm you wish to secure a role within and the job title that will fit your skills. You are much better off making five bespoke and relevant application for positions you know you would enjoy and thrive in rather than two dozen generic applications for roles you haven’t really explored too much.

Being generic can be spotted a mile off by employers. If you are eager to secure a promotion, you must show off the professional development that you have undertaken and how you have implemented this in your current workplace. However, further to this, you must demonstrate how you will be an asset to the company you are applying to. Research the firm, address your letter of application to a named individual and explain why you want to work for that particular company. Be detailed and thorough, making sure your application is grammatically correct and concise. Pay attention to the person specification and shape your application around this.

Interviews

When you are called to interview, make sure that you look the part and ooze professionalism. While it is natural to be nervous, you need to portray a demeanor of confidence, whether this is an illusion or not. Many people stumble over their words and struggle to maintain coherence when answering interview questions. For some reason, they become bamboozled. If this sounds like you, try not to worry and consider a simple mnemonic to help clarify your thoughts. The STAR process means considering the situation you were presented with, the task you needed to achieve, the action you took and the result that came of this action. This will show any interviewer that you can communicate effectively.

Embarking on a new job hunt can be daunting especially if you haven’t been on the look out for new employment for a few years. However, if you want to secure a promotion, you cannot wait for a job to fall into your lap. You need to put yourself out there and get yourself into the hiring line.