Bettering yourself is KEY, you always need to think “how can I distinguish myself from the next person when it comes down to the interview?” “What are my personal USPs (Unique Selling Points)?” “Why should somebody hire me over that guy?”

There are a number of things you can do to while seeking out new position:

Stay fit – running (see me in the pic!), yoga, Tae Kwon Do, whatever it is that interests you, now is a PERFECT time to take it to the next level. Set yourself goals, work out a training plan, try to train with others if possible. An ‘virtual’ running club such as Boards AC is also great for people who want to be active outside of core club training hours.

Improve yourself academically. Obviously this depends on your personal financial situation, but if possible does a course to make yourself more “buyable”. It’s always a good idea to diversify. Possibly an IT / Business course if you have a Science degree. Even something as abstract as an investing course or wine tasting / cookery, there really are no limits. It will make a difference in the interview if you can speak about your recent times in a positive light, showing the interviewee how you have kept your busy, relevant and current. Online courses are also mushrooming right now.

Network – Personally I hate the word and it’s a Cliche, but with the advent of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other Web 2.0 tools, there really is no excuse to stay in touch with the people that interest you. Broadening this circle is a natural progression and valuable contacts can be garnered. Ireland is a very small country and you can get the information that matters immediately. Stay in touch with recruiters, having 1 or 2 people to be your eyes and ears instantly widen your net in the hope of catching that next role. As Sen. Shane Ross once said to me, “Recruitment is a great weathervane of the economy.” A good recruiter will be able to tell you how the market is moving, companies with potential new roles so you hear about them before anyone else.

Voluntary Work – again it has to interest you. If it does, however, voluntary work can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling. This will be a major plus in many potential employers’ eyes.

Travel – more and more employers are looking at CVs to see if someone has gotten the “travel thing” out of their system. It seems like virtually every new graduate will inevitably spend a year backpacking, be it around Oz on a 1-year visa (which many believe has a limited lifespan…) or South America. To see that someone has travelled will make the potential employee seem like a good long-term prospect for an organisation.

The above is simply a taster, your only limit is your imagination.

Brian (brian.c at lifescience.ie)