The first few months of the year can be a time when people decide to make a fresh start – and for some that can mean kicking off the process of scouring for a new job.
Recruitment expert James Reed, chairman and CEO of Reed, says securing a new role can be life-changing.
He explains: “We spend one-third of our adult lives at work and your job will also determine your income, where you live, much of your social life, your standing in your community and even potentially your life partner – nearly one in five of us meet our spouses at work.”
From a lifetime spent working in recruitment, here are Reed’s top 10 tips for those planning to look for a new job in 2025:
1. Get your CV in shape
Reed’s research suggests that typically, employers spend no more than seven seconds looking at each CV when sifting though applications.
“These days, they may even be initially assessed using AI (artificial intelligence), says Reed. “So you have a very limited opportunity to make your mark.
“I always advise people to make the first part of their CV a personal statement, explaining who you are and what you can offer in one succinct paragraph.
“A CV must be tailored to the job you’re applying for: if it’s a sales position, you should emphasise any sales experience you have, or if it’s administration, your management skills.”
While it’s important to show what you have to offer a potential employer, there is a line to be drawn.
Reed says: “Never lie on a CV. Everyone wants to present themselves in the best possible light, but falsehoods have a habit of catching up with you.”
2. Have the right referees
“In a competitive jobs market, more than ever employers take references up,” says Reed.
He suggests making sure you offer the strongest possible people to vouch for you, and talk to them about what you want them to say if they are contacted.
Reed adds: “Ideally, choose someone from your career history who rated you well enough to give you a pay rise or promotion in a previous job. Make sure to choose someone who will speak well of your character as well as your career trajectory.”
3. Try ‘snail mail’ for speculative job applications
Reed says getting through an employer’s door by securing a job interview “is quite hard these days”.
He says: “The jobs market is tough and employers are overwhelmed with applications by email or online.
“One way to stand out from the crowd is by sending an old-fashioned letter. You can do this whether or not any suitable jobs are being advertised, to register your interest in working somewhere. This is a great way to get an employer’s attention.”
4. Improve your skills
“If you’re looking to make a move later in the year, use the time to learn new things and develop new skills,” suggests Reed.
You could try courses online, some of which may charge a fee or be free.
Reed says: “It’s not hard to supplement your CV and gain new certificates or qualifications. If you’re looking to move into a new area of work, this is particularly important.”
5. Identify the ‘fast-flowing’ sectors
“I liken finding a successful new job or career to playing a game of Poohsticks,” says Reed.
“You need to identify the fast-flowing water. Which parts of the economy are moving in the most exciting and dynamic ways and offer you the best chance to succeed?
“At the moment, green engineer-type jobs – retrofitting buildings, installing heat pumps or solar panels – are growing incredibly quickly and pay very well. The education sector is also performing well, as is tech and AI.”
6. Advance yourself in your current job
“New employers want to employ successful people,” says Reed.
“So if you are thinking about a move, don’t give up where you are – securing a pay rise or promotion will stand you in good stead. It will show you’re on an upward trajectory and well thought of – just the sort of candidate a new employer will want to hire.”
7. Work out your core values
Potential employers will want to know whether your personal values match up with their corporate ones – so Reed suggests spending time looking online to understand more about a company and its management.
“In an interview, provide evidence to back up what you say your values are,” he adds.
“If your values are empathy and collaboration, tell an anecdote about the time you supported a colleague with personal problems or worked over a weekend with the team to get a special project completed.”
8. Try to be ‘present’
Many employees value flexible working, but Reed says recent research from the firm indicates that many employers would be more likely to promote or give a pay rise to people who were more present in 2025.
He suggests that if, for example, a job is advertised as a minimum of three days in the office, making clear you’d be willing to be there more than that if desirable.
9. Consider starting your own business
“If there’s an idea you’ve always had – based either on your existing career or perhaps a hobby or skill – striking out on your own can be incredibly rewarding,” says Reed.
10. Finally, focus on yourself
“It’s important to look after your physical and mental health, as both go in tandem with career success,” says Reed.
“Focus on heath, exercise and wellbeing. Perhaps take up yoga or another way of keeping fit, or practise mindfulness for mental wellbeing.
“If you’re fit, well and happy in yourself, this will come across to a new employer and make you more attractive as a candidate.”
Why You? 101 Interview Questions You’ll Never Fear Again by James Reed is published in paperback by Penguin, priced £3.94. Available now
