How to win your perfect job – in the worst of times…

So far, the insurance and financial services sectors haven’t been hit by the full economic impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus. There are still lots of opportunities if you have been made redundant, are facing redundancy, or are looking to boost your career.

But what would be the prospects for you if the sector does go into recession?

The good news is that there will always be opportunities. You might need to look for longer or adjust your goals, career path or even skillset to be able to exploit them.

This week, we examine how you can prepare yourself so you are in the best position to boost your career – even in the worst of times.

 What do YOU want (do you really, really want?)

Invest some time in thinking about the roles you want. Consider the companies you will be targeting and the regions you prefer to work in.

Once you have a clear vision, your jobhunting campaign will have a lot more impact. You will be using your time and energies more efficiently to chase only the most relevant opportunities. You will also be a considerably more convincing candidate.

Are you, like many of us, more objective about your work-life since the pandemic started? Many of the candidates we are speaking to right now have been inspired by events to change direction, be more assertive or seek a stronger work/life balance.

Since March, the ability to work effectively and productively from home has been proven beyond all doubt. Commuters are now questioning why we endure long and dreary journeys, suffer the distraction of the open-plan office and waste so many business hours travelling?

Employers are now more relaxed about working from home. Companies enjoy total connectivity with remote colleagues, costs can be cut through relinquishing expensive office space, employees are less stressed and productivity levels are stable or increased.

The working landscape has just vastly changed. This increases the geographical range of your job search as more employers embrace remote working as a permanent or semi-permanent solution.

This means greater flexibility of opportunity for you in the future.

The only way is up – or is it?

Not all steps in your career may be upwards. Consider alternative paths which may not immediately boost your career but instead will offer you an exciting launchpad to a more fulfilling career direction.

If you are reconsidering what genuinely motivates you, many traditional career ladders may no longer be viable. Your next step might require training or study to bridge a knowledge or experience gap. Or you might consider leveraging your transferable skills to propel you into a different industry or sector. This is particularly important if your current sector is beginning to look irrelevant or imminently obsolete.

Are you still unsure about your new direction? Then consider targeting temporary roles rather than permanent contracts. You can then glean the personal insight to help you judge for yourself if this is indeed the right path.

If you are considering a horizontal move, speak to our team about new sectors offering greater career longevity.

Tap into your terrific transferable skills!

Take a long, hard look at the full range of your skillset. Think about everything you bring to the table. Right now, if you work in a sales and retail environment or in customer service-based positions, you will have highly transferable skills. Equally, underwriting experience opens doors to a wide range of career opportunities.

Consider all of your work experience – could a previous career path or strong personal interest help propel you into pole position for vacancies in niche markets? We recently placed a candidate whose previous career as a beautician helped her win her dream new insurance job!

There are also fast-growing sectors, such as FinTech and InsurTech, which are potentially rich seams of opportunity for insurance or financial services professionals.

If you aren’t sure, we can help you identify your most marketable transferable skills – giving you a clear competitive edge.

Keep calm … and sign up with Insure Recruitment!

If you are going to truly shine as a candidate in a tougher insurance and financial services job market, you will need to boost your self-to belief and strengthen your brand, as well as identifying and plugging any skills gaps.

As more and more recruitment goes online, you’ll also need to know how to ace remote interviews. You must also ensure your CV is algorithm-enticing: sprinkling exactly the right keywords through your CV, like breadcrumbs, to help lead recruiters to you!

To access these crucial tips and for further advice on how to find your perfect job – regardless of the market conditions – fill in the form below and we will email our top tips directly to you.