Rebekah Allen Dubai, Nexus Legal, Middle East...
Does the thought of going to work every day sound as appealing as a microwave M&S dine-in meal for two? Perhaps the passion and enthusiasm you once had for your role has long since gone and you find yourself seeking a new flame elsewhere. In your search for overseas opportunities, you find yourself sending out your CV to the masses – read on to find out why this is often not the best approach!
A newcomer to international job searching would assume that the more firms we put ourselves in front of, the higher chance we have of securing a role. After all, it is human nature and common sense that the more shots we take, the more likely it is that one of them will hit the target. It’s all a numbers game, right?
The problem with this approach is twofold:
1. The Market is small and ‘everyone knows everyone’
Just as if you were to fall victim to the village gossip in a small rural town, the same can be said when you find that every hiring partner in the region knows that you are looking to secure a new role.
As a consultant, I have had feedback from firms who have declined to proceed with a candidate on the simple basis that they have heard their CV has been to every one of their competitors in the market. It creates an unfavourable impression on potential employers and emits the vibe that you aren’t really interested in what their practice has to offer – you simply want to leave your current role. In job searching, as in the search for love, an individual low on options tends to be unattractive!
2. You lose track of who has seen your CV
Another common problem that crops up with around 50% of the candidates I work with; they are not aware of which firms have received their resume. The issue is that you risk having multiple applications made on your behalf to the same employers, which again, creates a negative impression. I frequently have candidates whom I struggle to assist in looking at options as they are unaware of what has already been explored – a scenario that no jobseeker wants to find themselves in. Put simply, no one wants to hire a candidate who has made approaches to everyone in the market on multiple occasions – an analogy that we are all familiar with outside of the working environment!
To maximise your chances of success overseas, work closely with a consultant who knows the market inside out and can tailor your search around your background and skill-set. Working with one consultant also has the added advantage of tracking which firms have been explored for you, eliminating any danger of duplicate applications. You will still be able to explore every corner of the market and have a much higher chance of securing your dream role.
If you are ready to fall in love with an overseas role, contact Rebekah Allen on +44 161 870 6776 / rallen@nexuslr.com