When looking for a new position and attending job interviews, you should think about what an employer will want from a potential new employee. Obviously this can differ depending on the industry but generally speaking most employers will want similar attributes in a new hire. Here are some ideas of what an employer will be looking for when hiring  a new candidate:

We have mentioned before that doing work experience or an internship is a fantastic way of boosting your knowledge and resume.

There are various internships available, depending on what industry and job role you want to go in to. It’s crucial that you choose the right role because you can add this to your professional resume when applying for paid roles.

Although internships are slightly different to every day working life there are number of things you should consider when working in the role. If you impress, you could end up with a job offer.

During your job interview preparation you may want to think about brushing up on your computer skills. Many companies today (depending on the vacancy) will require you to undergo a skills based test. And with a large need for office based employees, companies will need to assess a candidate’s computer and IT skills. This could be anything from a basic knowledge of Microsoft Word to a more advanced knowledge of spreadsheets and data management.

As well as preparing a well written resume and cover letter, think about what practical tests could be involved. Quite often these will happen on the day of an interview so it’s crucial to prepare.

Your cover letter is one of your best sales tools. If written well and sent alongside a well presented resume, your chances of being offered a job role should be significantly increased. Remember – this is your chance to promote yourself!

In most cases you can use a cover letter template as a base – but if you are applying directly to a company it is very useful to tailor the cover letter to their advertisement or requirements. This will help you stand out against the other applicants.

When you begin your initial job hunt it can be overwhelming, quite simply because there are so many places to look! National newspapers, local newspapers, job boards, job websites, online recruitment firms…the list goes on.

Some online resources can be difficult to navigate too because there are so many search options. It’s important you use these sites correctly because, if not, you could end up wasting days searching for irrelevant roles.

So how do you use online resources effectively?