You’ve opened your inbox and there are endless emails from recruitment agencies telling you that this job and that job are perfect for you. It can soon become overwhelming, so the first thing to do is pick just one or two agencies who can really get to know you. But even once you’ve done that and narrowed your job matches down, how do you know whether a position is right for you?
Quality not quantity
When job hunting, it’s tempting to blast out CVs and applications left, right, and centre. However, this scattergun approach is time-consuming and more likely to result in a ‘whatever; that’ll do’ scenario. Instead, focus on quality over quantity. Cherry-pick London-based office support jobs based on what matters most to you.
Only allow your chosen recruitment agencies to apply for jobs you genuinely want to do. Consider everything: salary, career growth, daily tasks, organisational culture, and location. If you’re not sure what niche to go for, try temping in London to get a feel for different options. But then what?
Use the interview cleverly
An interview is for prospective employers to check you out, right? Well, not totally. It’s also an invaluable opportunity for you to check them out. It’s the closest you’ll get to being on the inside and seeing whether you can imagine working there.
Go into the interview armed with the questions you want to ask. You can find out about the team you’ll be working in, what makes the organisation different, and track down difficult characters who may have a negative influence on others. Excellent questions to ask are why the previous person left the role and what staff turnover is like.
Consider the interview as a whole: was it well organised? Did it run on time? Who was present? Did they ask interesting questions rather than stock, predictable ones? Was anything else included, such as a tour of the office?
Consider the culture
When candidates consider job offers, they tend to focus on the tangible details written in the job offer letter, looking at things like salary and job title. However, on a day-to-day basis, what matters most is the organisational culture. It needs to be a match for you.
If you’re light-hearted and committed to your work, but value your work-life balance, you’ll want to seek out a different organisational culture from someone who is ambitious, keen to progress, and values a high degree of professionalism. Are you the kind of person who thrives on the buzz of pressure, or do you do your best work in a calm and quiet environment?
Hearing from the horse’s mouth
In an ideal world, you’ll want to hear from other members of your prospective team or organisation. This can be hard to do, but you can ask at interview whether you can meet them. You can also have a look at LinkedIn and the company’s website to see what else you can find out.
Choose the right agency
London has an overwhelming number of recruitment agencies. Choose an agency that genuinely cares about both candidates and clients. Ask questions of the agency. How do they decide which jobs to put you forward for? At Love Success, we care about finding the right fit for both client and candidate. Give us a call on 020 7870 7177.
Love Success is a leading London PA & office support recruitment agency.
Our expert recruiters can help you find permanent and temporary jobs in London.
View our latest job opportunities here
PA & EA Jobs l Office Support Jobs l Temporary Jobs Marketing & PR Jobs l HR Jobs l Finance Jobs