Nearly half of jobseekers change their look to get work

The competition for a smaller number of jobs is driving some job seekers to alter their everyday appearances in the hopes of making a stronger impression. Forty-six per cent of workers in Europe who were laid off from full-time jobs in the last year reported they have changed something about their appearance to make themselves more attractive to employers. This is according to a recent survey of more than 1,000 workers across Europe conducted by CareerBuilder, the global leader in human capital solutions.

Efforts to alter appearances included:
Eighteen per cent of European job seekers have dressed up more or dressed to appear younger or older

Ten per cent have lost weight

Six per cent have changed their hair color or hair style

Six per cent have enhanced facial features by wearing more makeup or whitening their teeth

More drastic measures such as cosmetic injections, plastic surgery and tattoo removal were also cited.

One-third (33 per cent) of European job seekers have changed their online persona, making adjustments to their social networking profiles to appear more professional to employers.

Expanding career options

Half of European job seekers who were laid off in the last year have already begun spending their long-term savings as they look for new employment opportunities. Another one-in-four (25 per cent) reported they didnít have long-term savings to fall back on when they lost their jobs.

Faced with one of the toughest job markets in history, job seekers are considering new career options and applying for jobs they may not have considered before the economic crisis.

75 per cent have applied for jobs for which they are over-qualified

74 per cent would be willing to take a job with less pay to help make ends meet

64 per cent would be willing to relocate to another city or country to find a job

ìTodayís workers are dealing with record unemployment rates and longer job searches,î said Farhan Yasin, president of CareerBuilder EMEA. ìTo stay competitive in the long run, employers will be looking to add jobs in areas that drive revenue, customer retention and innovation first. Keeping this in mind, see how you can make your background relevant to these areas and expand your job search to new industries and professions.î

Tips for job-hunting in todayís economy

Repackage your skills - Write different versions of your CV to appeal to a broader range of employers. Keep in mind that skills in communications, project management, customer service, etc are universal across industries and transferrable to new fields.

Get involved – a great way to build up your CV and make new contacts is through volunteering. The majority of employers consider volunteering to qualify as relevant experience.

Stock your CV with keywords - Employers use electronic scanners to rank the job applications they receive. Make sure to include keywords from the employerís job postings in your CV as it pertains to your experience, so your application is ranked toward the top of the pile.
Leverage social media - Promote your personal brand and skills on different social networking sites. Make sure to remove any content or photos that may not convey a professional image to employers.