Job searching can be a painful, tedious process fraught with delays and knocks. But it can also be very straight-forward if you follow some basic guidelines. Believe it or not, it is possible – at all levels – to hear about a role and secure it in the same week. Sadly more often than not the process runs over many weeks….or indeed months. But it’s always the case that it’s worth being patient when it comes to searching for the perfect new position, and taking care not to jump at the first thing that comes along.

Social Media

Social media can work for you or against you, so be sure you manage it right

Before you start, check your presence online. The first thing a hiring manager will do when they receive your CV will be to look you up on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, so ensure that your profile is closed on any site that is intended only for your friends (that definitely includes all inappropriate photos!) and maximise those other sites which can help your search. You may want to update your LinkedIn to include a professional photo? Or put out some Tweets that demonstrate you are passionate about retail. Social media can work for you or against you, so be sure you manage it right.

Using Recruitment Agencies

Agencies need a full understanding of your career and personality to find you the perfect job

For many people, starting your search by contacting a recruitment consultancy is the first port of call. There are a couple of dozen retail specialist companies out there, several of which have truly excellent reputations and impressive longevity in the industry.

AQUAretail of course is the only recruitment business dedicated to merchandising, so if it’s a specialist you’re looking for we could be the one to help you with your career. Be careful who you choose to represent you. Make sure it is a business with a good reputation, and select a consultant that you have a good rapport with and feel you can trust – your consultant needs to have a full understanding of your career and personality to find you the perfect job. Never work with someone who only wants to receive your CV via email – they will never understand you from that kind of impersonal approach. At the very least you should expect a detailed phone conversation, but the ideal would be a meeting where you can really get to know one another.

Once you’ve started the ball rolling, your consultant will contact you with jobs and companies that match your requirements. Be clear about what you do and don’t want, so the match will be as precise as possible, and let your consultant know if you change any of your criteria such as department, salary or location. Also, it is a two-way street, so do check-in with them every few weeks to update.

One really important thing about using agencies is the question of ownership. Make sure that you are in control of where your CV is being sent to – never work with a consultant who shares your details without getting your permission as this can be damaging to your reputation. If your CV lands with a hiring manager via more than one route (be it directly from you and an agent, or from 2 different agencies – or worse more than that!) then you would seriously hamper your chances – that kind of lack of control wouldn’t bode well for how you’d manage the OTB or WSSI if you got the job.

Finally, remember that recruitment business (good ones) will bend over backwards to help with your career, but do be honest with them and communicate effectively. Recruiters have long memories, and remember the names of individuals who didn’t behave with integrity during an interview process and left them in a compromised position – it is a very small industry and they do also talk to each other…

Job Websites

There are a few generic online job boards that cater for retail role, and a couple of specialist ones. The market leader is Retail Choice, which has hundreds of merchandising opportunities available – both via agencies and the retailers themselves – at any given time. They’re very easy to use, just enter your criteria (salary / location / title etc) and roles that match will appear. You can also register for job alerts, and receive emails when jobs that suit you are posted. It’s possible to register your CV on the “CV Library” on these sites, but be careful if you are still employed in a role because your own HR team might be checking these pages and see you’re looking for a job which could be highly embarrassing.

Print Media

It’s a little more old-fashioned, but still effective. Looking for ads in local press or trade press can be a great way to search. Magazines such as Retail Week and Drapers contain adverts both for recruitment consultancies and retailers with vacancies to recruit. Of course, especially when it comes to fashion, Drapers is the bible and is highly recommended. Whether you read the physical magazine or the online version – or indeed, follow them on Twitter – there is lots of valuable industry information contained that could help your knowledge and prep ahead of interviews. 

LinkedIn

On LinkedIn, upload a photograph that is appealing and friendly, taken in good light and shows you in a smart outfit

LinkedIn is a brilliant tool for job searching. Setting up a profile is quick and easy. List your title, company and location, and add a small amount of detail for your previous career – but be careful not to put your entire CV online (unscrupulous recruiters have been known to send these profiles out to companies when trying to impress prospective clients!). Upload a photograph that is both appealing and friendly, taken in good light and shows you in a smart outfit and appropriate surroundings.

Once you have your profile, connect to people who may be of use to you. These might include recruitment consultants, HR managers for retailers, MDs and line managers at the companies you’d like to work for – they will always post new vacancies, and that could lead to the perfect job for you. You can email your connections directly once they’ve accepted your invitation, and network with them online if they are responsive to your contact. You can also upgrade your membership allowing a more sophisticated method of emailing your connections. Joining relevant groups, and following the retailers that appeal to you will mean that your newsfeed is always full of the content you want. And on the subject of the newsfeed, remember that this isn’t Facebook so be careful with the update you write yourself. 

Networking

There’s no accounting for getting to meet hiring managers, and any networking event could be great to do just that. Conferences have excellent speakers, where you can glean new knowledge and of course potentially meet the speakers afterwards.