Most people will agree that starting a job search can be a job within itself. Just like any other endeavor, there are ways to make your job search much more effective and continuously rewarding. Don’t let yourself get “tricked” by common mistakes, instead set yourself up to win your dream job along with the many “treats” left over from getting yourself ready to land a new position with a top company.
Below we will walk you through some of the “tricks” and “treats” of the job search.
Trick: Write a Resume Geared to Each Job You are Applying For.
A resume is often the first step in a job search. While many companies now use social media to learn about candidates, resumes still serve as a hiring manager’s first impression. One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is sending a generic resume for jobs that ask for specific qualifications. Instead, craft a new resume for each position you apply for.
This approach helps you use the job description’s language and align your experiences and accomplishments with the opportunity.
To check your work, paste your resume into a word-cloud app like TagCrowd. The app generates a cloud of your most-used words, the more frequent a word, the larger it appears. This lets you instantly see what your resume communicates at a glance, just as a hiring manager will when it lands on their desk.
Treat: Start Networking Through Giving.
Networking can feel intimidating, especially when you’re looking for a new job. Many job seekers worry it seems one-sided and that people will know they need something. Instead, stop viewing networking as a way to get what you want, focus on what you can offer others. This shift helps you build credibility and trust, turn chance encounters into long-term relationships, and connect with potential employers or referrers on equal footing.
Identify your key skills by examining what draws you to the jobs you apply for.
Revisit the last three to five positions you truly wanted. What specific skills matched what those employers were seeking?
Consider what problems those skills help solve. Then, think about how to present your unique abilities as an offer during networking events or informational interviews.
When your niche skills align with a contact’s needs, you naturally turn a one-time meeting into a lasting relationship. Skills-based networking shows your value instead of just talking about it and that can lead to job offers or referrals long after the first conversation.
Trick: Find a Way to Connect with the Hiring Manager.
A personalized cover letter is a fantastic opportunity to make you stand out from your competitors. However, you need a edge to really catch the attention of the person scanning resumes. Social media makes it possible today to research not only the company you are applying to, but the person that will be interviewing you at that company.
You may have graduated from the same college or belong to the same professional association. Or, see if he or she has been cited in a news article so you can mention it in your cover letter or at your interview.
If the recruiter’s name is cited in a job ad, use LinkedIn.com to determine how you might be connected to them. Other sites useful for uncovering connections include Ryze.com, ZoomInfo.com and Google.
Bear in mind that you might not always be successful, but it won’t hurt to check.
This “trick” could be the thing that lands you the job!
Treat: Subscribe to Job Alerts and RSS Feeds.
On most job boards, you can register to receive emails alerting you to new postings that meet your criteria, such as location or keyword. Searching for a job in San Antonio in the apartment industry? You can easily set up alerts that match your desired jobs to see what’s out there. Most also allow you to select their frequency, such as daily or weekly.
Also consider signing up for RSS feeds. RSS is short for really simple syndication, which is an automated electronic information-sharing system that allows you to receive content in an easy-to-read format. You can sign up for RSS feeds for postings from many job boards.
Another option is to download a news aggregator or reader software to your computer. New job postings that match the criteria you choose will be delivered to you automatically, typically the same day or the following.
Even if you are happily employed, you will always know what opportunities are out there so you can be sure you are right where you want to be.
Learning how to job search does not have to be scary. Avoid the tricks, set yourself up for the treats, and enjoy the adventure of finding your perfect career home!
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