Guidance for Black and Minority Ethnic Candidates

The best channels to use may depend on the industry that you’re interested in, so it’s worth finding out where most of the jobs in your chosen sector are advertised or how people are recruited.

Maximising the number of channels you use may help increase your chances of being noticed by potential employers. Keep track of who you’ve approached.

The job market is currently in a down-turn in many industries, linked to economically turbulent times. As such, you may need to apply for a reasonably large number of jobs before you’re successful as there are many candidates chasing each advertised post.

In such a market it’s important to maintain determination and optimism, and to make each application as polished as possible, even when applying for many jobs. Make each application and CV specific to the role you’re going for, rather than sending out generic applications.

Ensure any profile or personal statement (often at the top of your CV) addresses your key strengths, e.g. project management experience or the size of budget responsibility.

Employers are increasingly seeking candidates who display knowledge of the industry sector, the company and the specific role being interviewed for. Make a point of researching the organisation fully, in particular, its vision, aims and strategy. It’s almost impossible to be ‘too prepared’ for an interview.

Ask employers and recruitment agencies to provide clear job descriptions and information on the skills needed for roles that you’re applying for – if you need more information, or information in an alternative format, don’t be afraid to request it.

If you need it, employers should also provide assistance with completing the application form, attending an interview or adjusting assessments to allow you to complete them - again you should request this support if you need it.