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Opinion

Just say it as it is: Do yourself a favour
Leslea Petersen

March 21st, 2021


This article is more than 3 years old.

Stay stuck in the middle! (photo: Pixabay)

The extension of the restrictions in Denmark means home-schooling a tween and working from home continues in our house – any other parent out there wishing they had a teacher qualification just to help their child with maths?  Utter frustration daily.

Easing the panic
If you are dealing with all of this and looking for a job, then the situation can feel even more overwhelming – it’s easy to panic. 

We offer a Free Employment Hotline, and although it’s only a 10-minute call, it’s an opportunity for encouragement and advice that can make a big difference to your job search.

I regularly talk to people who have been looking for work for a long time and I often hear: “I have done everything, but nothing works.”

All about networking
Networking is key in Denmark in finding a job and LinkedIn is the best way to create visibility and make connections in organisations that would be a great fit.

It’s the perfect media for a recruiter to find you and get to know more about you, so you need to clearly communicate what job you want and who you are – maximising every opportunity. 

I usually connect with the hotline callers on LinkedIn and can see straight away where an individual isn’t optimising their profile, which will make a real difference in their job search. Often it’s the same rookie mistakes and ones that can be addressed quickly.

Beware of ‘rookie’ errors
“Looking for new opportunities” or “MSC graduate in economics looking for a career start”, or something similar, as a job title on LinkedIn are all too common. But I don’t know one recruiter or hiring manager that uses those phrases in their search for a new employee. 

Call yourself what you want to be and do some research in the type of job title that reflects your skills and experience. If you are a fresh graduate, then look for a title that reflects an entry-level position.

The other big mistake is that job seekers treat LinkedIn like Facebook – if they don’t know the person, then they don’t accept a connection request! 

Credible connections
Over half the people I talk to on the hotline, or work with on a 1:1 basis, have less than 50 connections and wonder why they have no visibility in the job market. 

Do yourself the biggest favour and build credible connections within Denmark so when that ideal job is posted, you have already made connections in that organisation. 

As soon as you post anything in the public domain, you have launched your personal brand, so own it, communicate what job you want clearly and give yourself every opportunity. 

Here to help!

About

Leslea Petersen

A Brit married to a Viking who landed on Danish shores 13 years ago, Leslea is the communications director of TWG-EmployMe. With over 20 years’ communications experience in both the business & not-for-profit sectors, Leslea is passionate about coaching professionals & businesses in effective communication.


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