Expert: 2008 is year of active job searching

Many people looking for a job in science, research or at university will be actively seeking positions this year, rather than waiting for the job to fall into their lap, it has been suggested.

A poll by jobs.ac.uk discovered that 2008 is to become a year of proactive job hunting for many.

Out of the 1,133 people questioned by the website, 82 per cent said they were looking for a new position in 2008, but only ten per cent will consider jobs that land in their email inbox.

People say they're not planning to rely on jobs landing in their inbox, but will actively search for a new challenge this year, director of the firm, Andrew Gordon, stated.

Jobseekers are looking not only for a challenging role, but are interested in a company's culture and whether they have a CSR [corporate social responsibility] or environmental policy, he remarked.

Mr Gordon added that jobseekers will look for companies with a strong future.

According to ClickAJob chief executive Yngve Traberg, they must be prepared for the hard work that goes into finding them too.

A proactive job search takes effort, he points out.

Job-seekers have to dig out all the information themselves - which companies are hiring, what businesses they're involved in, what their induction procedures are, who the contact person is, what qualifications are needed - it's a lot tougher than scanning the papers or applying online.

It's equally as competitive too, he adds. Just because a job isn't advertised doesn't mean there aren't several people applying for it.

To give themselves an edge, Mr Traberg recommends that job-seekers should establish a presence for themselves online.

Uploading a CV and having it constantly available is one way employers can see what they're getting, he says.

Having an online profile on somewhere like Facebook could help too, he goes on.

At a glance, employers can get a feel for attitude and capability, especially if they can see work experience that maybe other job applicants don't have.

Don't forget that employers expect social responsibility too, he concludes.

It's an advantage ALL job-seekers should be able to demonstrate in addition to their integrity.