As we progress throughout the year, it is becoming increasingly clear that the market remains predominantly candidate led. Competition is fierce and companies have to step up their game in order to attract and retain top talent.
However, candidates can’t get too comfortable! We suggest the following for those job hunting in a Candidate Led Market:
Show yourself off
Your CV needs to demonstrate your skills and highlight your achievements relevant to the role in order to show the hiring manager that you are right for the role and to put yourself ahead of other potential candidates. Tailor your CV to the job specification, by identifying key experience and skills and highlight similar experience in your CV making you an obvious choice for hiring managers. Additionally, if you are registering with an agency, expand your CV to cover your breadth of experience so your consultant has an in-depth understanding of your experience.
Keep your CV concise and easy to read. It is important that your CV shows off your technical knowledge and expertise, but be aware that your application could be reviewed by non-finance professionals who may be running the hiring process. 
Speak to an expert
If you opt to use a recruitment agency, it is essential to work with people who are experts within your field. Niche recruitment firms possess a deep understanding of their industry and will be constantly be mapping their market, which enables them to provide you with a bespoke and knowledgeable service. Additionally, they tend to have access to an extensive network of Clients that will be looking for candidates like you. These connections within specific sectors, allow the agency to provide candidates with a focused search and roles that have been proactively sought.
Communication is Key
It is also essential to ensure continuous communication throughout the recruitment process. This applies to both candidates and clients. So whether this is to update the candidate on how the process is developing or to provide honest feedback, it is essential to keep all parties in the loop. From a candidate side, holding out on an offer and dodging calls from a hiring manager in the hope that something better comes your way is a big risk, putting you in the hiring manager’s bad books and potentially costing you the role. Furthermore, if you renege on a previously accepted offer, it reflects badly on you and your professionalism and can have detrimental effects on your relationships with industry individuals.
If you are proactively seeking a career change or are looking for assistance is finding your next hire, please get in touch to find out how Communicate can help on 02036179730 or email info@communicate-rs.com