Looking for a job can be stressful and daunting, but there are some ways to improve your prospects and enhance your search. By using these techniques, you can increase the likelihood of landing a job and even that dream job. Here are a few easy ways to enhance your job search.
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5 Best Ways to Enhance Your Job Search
№1. Start with the Location
Your first search should start with location. Decide where you would like to live. Job markets vary widely from place to place. For instance, if you are a graphic designer looking for work in a small town, there probably won’t be a ton of jobs. The pay for those limited jobs will probably be less also. If that same designer searched in a larger area, not only will there be more opportunities, but the pay will likely be much higher. Supply and demand really comes into play here.
On the other hand, you may not want to relocate or work in a brick and mortar office. There are many online jobs to choose from. If you haven’t considered working from home, this could be a good option to look into.
№2. Improve Your Resume
This doesn’t mean pad your resume. This is about making sure it is current, lists skills, relevant experience and education, in the most effective order and format. Don’t make assumptions about what people will extract from your experience. Be explicit about skills and training you have received.
You are not merely a robot and your profile should reflect that. Employers like to hire interesting, well rounded people. It’s good for office culture and reflects well on the company’s image. If you are active, healthy, engaged in the community, etc. show that. These are not skills that can land you a job you’re not qualified for, but they can be tiebreakers for jobs you deserve.
№3. Follow Up
Whether you had an interview or an email contact, don’t let the communications go stale. Follow Up within 24 hours and use personalized messages when doing so. A handwritten note conveys a personal touch that an email doesn’t, but a timely email is better than nothing. Sometimes simple gestures like these keep you in the consciousness of potential employers and separate your application. It is also an indication that you are diligent, organized and thoughtful.
№4. Focus On Entry
Once you have landed a job, then you can learn about making it fit your lifestyle better. But to land the job, convey that you are flexible, available and willing to work. Too often applicants disqualify themselves by making their entry criteria too rigid. Most jobs have surprising flexibility once your are in the fold, but expecting flexibility in the application process could raise red flags that your are difficult or needy. That being said, include moonshots to your approach.
We would all love to land that dream job, but dream jobs are more competitive. Therefore it is good to apply for some jobs that you are well, if not overqualified for. When you do this, you can feel like you are operating with a net. The moonshot attempt at your dream job doesn’t come at the expense of a job you’d likely get and help you down the road to financial responsibility.
№5. Social Media And Old Friends
Often times, people we used to work with, studied with or knew in older social circles have gone on to become successful and influential. If you left a good impression on these people when they were part of your life, they might give you the inside track on an opportunity, even if that track is simply making you aware of job openings and possibilities. Social media is a powerful tool that helps us reestablish old friendships and reacquaint ourselves with old coworkers and schoolmates.
To maximize your social media use, make sure your profiles reflect the kind of candidate someone in the industry you are pursuing would want to hire. If your social media account displays that you are so meta that no one can understand you, you are not broadcasting a particularly attractive image as a job candidate. It is necessary to realize that companies will look at your social media to get insight into who they might be hiring. This is particularly true of Linkedin, because it is a professional social media network. Keep your profile professional and specific to the industry and jobs you would ultimately like to land.
Looking for a job can be stressful. But using these strategies can take some of the edge off because they help your search become successful. Make sure you leverage all of the available resources and set yourself up for success by creating a narrative through social media and your personal website that makes it obvious that you are the right candidate for the job.
