Browse our jobs and apply for your next role.
The right candidate is just a few clicks away
PageGroup changes lives for people through creating opportunity to reach potential.
If you have any questions, we’re here to help.
For many, Chinese New Year (CNY) is a time of celebration. Many offices are closed and hiring managers typically wind down recruitment activity. Employees too may slow down their job searches, waiting for bonuses to be paid out before making any moves.
But picking up the job search post-CNY may be quite of a challenge, especially with many other job seekers doing so at the same time. To get ahead of the competition, here are some tips to help ensure that you’re well on your way to advancing your career.
Finding the perfect job takes time and, ideally, you should not move unless the role fits well with your values and aspirations. At times, finding and securing a great job can take several months, or even longer, if you’re at the senior level. As the adage goes, “good things come to those who wait”, so try and be patient even when your anxiety levels are rising.
If you feel anxious about your job search, try taking control of what you can rather than worrying about the unknown. One thing you can do is to try structuring and organising your search efforts better. For example, set aside an hour each day to search for jobs, reach out to recruiters and send out resumes. Instead of going for networking events every day, you may want to scale these sessions down to twice a week, for example. Setting boundaries and freeing up some time to spend on hobbies or with loved ones can take your mind off a stressful job search.
Research has suggested that as many as 70 percent of people find their next jobs through their networks. And there’s probably no better time to network than during CNY, where you’ll probably get opportunities to meet up with many friends, ex-colleagues and family members, including extended ones. Who knows? Someone in your network could point you to a job opportunity that you didn’t even know existed.
If you do not hear a response from the companies you applied to, try not to take it personally — it may not be about you.
Networking may have a high success rate, but you often cannot rely solely on friends and ex-colleagues to come through for you. Recruitment companies will usually have their finger on the pulse when it comes to active roles in the market after CNY as well as the current market trends.
If you have already been working with a consultant, reach out to him or her to see what new opportunities might exist. Considering a career switch? You can even let your recruiter know your intentions and check if they have specific roles that might be suitable for you.
If you’d like to get in touch with a recruiter to discuss career options, contact us here and we’ll respond shortly.
If you’ve managed to secure an interview, congratulations! Interviewing is supposed to be a two-way process. While hiring managers are assessing you based on fit, skills and experience, you also have a part to play in making sure that the company is one that you can thrive in.
Before you go for your interview, do your research on the company. Check review sites like Glassdoor or have your networks connect you to current employees. Sort through what you’ve read and heard and come to your own conclusion about the role and company. This way, you will be able to make informed decisions in your search.
Facing rejections during the job search process may be stressful, but try your best to persevere. The reality is, while there are many well-qualified candidates competing for the same role, the hiring manager can only hire one person.
If you do not hear a response from the companies you applied to, try not to take it personally — it may not be about you. Often, hiring situations change. Sometimes, job openings get cancelled because the company realises that it does not have the budget for the position or the role could have been put on hold because its scope needs to be re-configured. Regardless of what the reason is, don’t give up. Persevere and you may just find yourself rewarded in the end.
Don’t stop here, find out how to make the right choice between two job offers.
