It might not even be Christmas yet, but when you’re looking to make a decisive career move in the New Year, it pays to do a little preparation now. January is one of the busiest times in the recruitment market as so many people return to work with career-related New Year’s resolutions. The resulting glut of resignations opens up vacancies across every industry, meaning there are plenty of opportunities at every level.

To beat the January rush, it pays to start planning your bilingual job search now. That way, when the New Year comes, you’ll be perfectly placed to pounce. So what can you do to prepare for the January job rush? Here’s our guide…

What companies do you want to work for?

Now’s the perfect time to start compiling a list of the companies you’d love to work for. If you plan on relocating, then identify some of the top employers in that city in your industry and find out a little more about them. Take a look at their careers page to see what it might be like to work for them and check if they have any suitable vacancies. If they don’t have any vacancies now, make sure you check again in January.

If you plan on staying in the same city, you might already have a mental list of companies you’d like to work for. If they don’t have any current vacancies advertised, now would be an excellent time to draft a speculative enquiry to send in the New Year.

What are your previous colleagues doing?

Past colleagues can be an excellent source of information about potential employers in your sector. December is the perfect time to reach out and reconnect with people you know. You can mine your LinkedIn connections for information about companies you are interested in.

Many employers try to hire candidates who have been referred by existing employees, so this could be the perfect way to get your foot in the door. You may also hear about roles that are yet to be opened up to external applications.

Is your LinkedIn profile up to date?

Before you start your New Year’s job search, it’s essential you make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date. A top tip is to turn off the ‘notify your network’ option on LinkedIn so your current colleagues and boss are unaware you’re freshening up your profile.

You should also consider re-evaluating your headline so recruiters can see what you’re planning to do next. Your LinkedIn summary should detail your top skills and accomplishments and you should update your work history with any skills that will qualify you for your next role.

Research your salary

Now is the perfect time to do some salary research to find out what people in the same position as you are earning in your location. It’s beneficial to have a realistic idea of the type of salary range you should expect before you start filling out applications. Your last salary may not be in line with what other employers offer for similar positions, so the last thing you want to do is sell yourself short.

Clean up your social media profiles

A recent study has revealed that 70 percent of employers now use social media to screen candidates before hiring them, while one-in-three have rejected candidates based on something they found online.

You should clean up as many of those incriminating photos as possible and make your profiles private if you’re worried what employers will find. You should also Google yourself to find out just how much digital dirt you’ve left online and clean up as much as you can.

How can we help?

If you want to get ahead in your bilingual job search, send your updated CV to our team now. With so many vacancies expected in January, we can put you at the front of the queue for some of the leading employers on the South Coast.

Recruitment is a double-edged sword. There’s certainly no shortage of articles out there telling candidates how they can make the right impression on recruiters, but as an employer, if you want to attract the best talent, the same applies to you.

With a significant language skills gap in the UK, bilingual candidates are currently in high demand. That means if you want to attract and retain the best talent, you need to consider every aspect of your pre-hire and interview process to make sure the most qualified bilingual candidates want to work for you.

How to create a positive and lasting impression

You might think that the first opportunity you have to really impress the candidate is at the interview, but there are numerous touch points before that which give you the chance to make your mark. For that reason, it’s essential you consider each part of the process carefully and start as you mean to go on. Here are some questions you should ask to fine tune your recruitment process…

1. Does the job specification sell the organisation effectively and provide enough information about the role?
2. Do you have a careers page on your website or some other resource candidates can use to find out more about working for you?
3. How easy do you make it for prospective candidates to contact you and how quickly do you respond?
4. How well do you prepare for interviews? At the very least, you should familiarise yourself with an applicant’s CV before they arrive.
5. Are you punctual? Much is made of a candidate’s timeliness but you must also turn up for the interview on time.
6. How long do you spend with each candidate? First impressions certainly count, but they’re not always accurate. Allow each candidate at least 25 minutes to give them the chance to really impress.
7. Do you listen more than you talk? The job interview is all about the candidate, so sit back and let them sell themselves.
8. Do you provide prompt and constructive feedback? Telling someone they haven’t got the job might not be your idea of a good time, but letting the candidate know as quickly as possible and providing constructive feedback is something they’ll value.

Be consistent throughout the process

It’s also important to understand what we mean by creating the right first impression. That does not mean you do things purely for show. For example, holding the interview in your colourful new breakout space might not be the best idea if the room they’ll be working in is the greyest of corporate spaces. That’s because it might give them a false impression of the company and the role.

For that reason, the recruitment process should reflect the organisational culture and give the candidate an idea of what it’s really like to work for the company.

The help you need

If you’re not creating the right first impression in your search for bilingual candidates, we can help. We work with you long before the interviews to attract the best talent.

Read about our services for clients and call 02392 987 765 or email info@linguistica-recruitment.com to find out more.