Regular readers of the Blog will know that meeting new candidates on a weekly basis is all part of my role, and one topic which always comes up in conversation is “Flexibility”, and more importantly, what it means to different people.  I often find people asking me in general terms how they can get access to more roles, and whilst there are tentative signs of an improving job market, nothing can be guaranteed.  One of the key areas I discuss with them is how flexible they are really prepared to be about their job search in terms of commuting time, salary expectation, types of role etc, and if they really need to be as strict as what they initially set out on paper.   It is always worth reviewing your initial job search criteria, and whether those criteria are still valid one, two or even three months on.

I know lots of people still looking for positions after six months or more of searching, and people can be at either end of the Flexibility spectrum.  Some are happy to relocate anywhere in the South East, happy to take a small salary sacrifice for the right role and are not too worried about commuting time.  At the other end of the scale though, some people will not consider a role more than 5 miles from their home, and will not move for less than a £5,000 pay rise.  It is the latter group I worry about most in the current job market.  I know everyone has their own personal circumstances to consider, but if everyone periodically reviewed their job criteria and added in some flexibility, perhaps it would give them access to more job opportunities. 

The most common categories you should look to review every few months in my opinion include:

• Commuting Time – A lot of people tell me they will only work ‘x’ miles from home, without thinking about the time in hours / minutes it will take to get there.  Away from major towns, some work places may be further in miles to get to, but may be quicker in actual commuting time.  Therefore, always consider both the time as well as the number of miles you are prepared to travel.

• Salary Expectations – One of the biggest areas people think about, and one in which most are looking for a pay rise rather than a pay cut.  However, there are times when flexibility in salary means you could actually be better off.  For example, if you are paying for professional studies yourself instead of your employer, a job move at the same salary or a slight pay cut may mean you are financially better off after tax.  Someone without access to a company pension currently, who is offered a role where the new employer contributes to a pension on their behalf and is offered the same or slightly less basic salary may be better off also.

• Notice Period – I know most notice periods are non-negotiable, as they are part of your employment contract.  However, I have known people who have received job offers via our recruitment agency McGinnis Loy who have reduced their notice by using unused holiday, and others have negotiated a reduced notice period subject to completing certain projects or recruiting a replacement for themselves.  Would either of these be options be something you could consider ?  

• Industry Sector – Many candidates do only ask that I consider them for positions in a specific industry sector.  Whilst this can work really well in a buoyant job market, in a weak market like we have currently, this could substantially restrict the number of opportunities you have access to.  People who have worked in the same sector for years feel resigned to only considering roles in that same sector, but a broader search criteria by industry could really help to bring a better balance to their career and CV in the long term.

• Size of Company – This is another key criteria for many, only wanting to work for large blue-chip businesses.  This is totally understandable if they have been used to that environment, but by not even considering opportunities available in the SME marketplace could again restrict the number of roles available to them.  Many candidates do not think about how SMEs can often give them much broader and more challenging responsibilities.  People like to work in blue-chip businesses because of their appeal, branding and the fact it looks good for their career, but being open-minded and considering smaller companies can rival this in certain circumstances.   

No matter how long you have been looking, it is always a good idea to keep an open mind on all the points above when considering a new job.  No recruiter or potential employer is actually offering you a job at this early stage, only the option of being considered for a job.  Keep any reservations you have at the back of your mind, and review potential problem areas once you have actually been to an interview, rather than beforehand.  Some points may not be negotiable because of very valid reasons, but the more flexible you can be, the more likely you will see more job opportunities come your way.