We all know that searching for a job can really feel like a full-time job itself. Especially in this Covid/Post-Covid world that we are living in today. Thankfully, I have put together a list of methods to make this journey a little easier and less stressful for you.
When you begin the journey of finding your dream job, It’s best to come up with a game plan. Otherwise, you will be mindlessly applying to any and every position with the hopes of hearing back from one of them without putting in the leg work.
An excellent first step is evaluating how important the job search is and determining how much time you are willing to dedicate to the search each day, week and month. This decision will be based on other factors like if you already have a job, are in school, or are unemployed. Someone who isn’t currently working will likely be able to dedicate more time to finding a job than someone who already has a job, children, or is in school.
Once you figure out how much time you are able to allot, you will need to set goals that are easy to achieve. Setting attainable objectives will help you stay on task and keep the job search as a priority because you will be crossing off tasks and adding new ones, which will help you stay motivated and willing to give it all you have to succeed.
If you have a job already, applying to 3 job openings per week is a perfectly adequate number of opportunities to seek out, considering that you are working all day and will need some time to recover from that, especially after a long day. If you are unemployed and have an ample amount of time on your hands, you might want to consider applying to a minimum of 15 jobs weekly. This will maximize your chances of hearing back from the companies you reached out to and achieving your goal of landing a new job.
Networking remains the ultimate way to secure employment. The reason being that knowing professionals whom you have worked with in the past is an excellent way to boost your credibility, along with your chances of securing a job. So, before applying to any jobs, reach out to your former colleagues and managers to see if they will vouch for you in the form of a LinkedIn recommendation, a letter of recommendation, or if they happen to have some pull at the company they are currently working at, could they potentially get you hired. This is very effective when your prior professional experience is lacking, especially when most companies have a hard time hiring candidates with very limited professional involvement in their field outside of the classroom. Having an established person in your field sing your praises is an excellent way to get a leg up on the competition and get your foot in the door. Once you’re in, everything gets a whole lot better.
Another strategy you could undertake in your career search is attending job fairs. This is an excellent way to create meaningful connections with hiring managers and showcase your personality beyond your resume. Let’s face it, there’s only so much we could do to our resumes to let companies know exactly who we are, so any opportunity you have to put a face and personality to your resume, take it. A lot of companies hire based on their culture and if you happen to be a wonderful fit. So, you plus your resume is a better indicator of that compared to your resume alone.
Speaking of your resume, you may want to consider tweaking and revamping it to fit each job description that you are interested in applying for. The best way to go about this is to read the job descriptions of every job that you apply for to see what they are looking for exactly. Once you have that knowledge, you can add it to your resume to help you stick out amongst everyone else that applies.
It’s also important to seek help in improving your interview skills. Each industry may have a different set of questions that may be asked while others may have similar questions. Make sure to do this research before you go into any interview so that you are prepared. It’s also important to practice speaking with friends and having them ask you the most common interview questions. By doing this, you are preparing yourself to never be phased by any question any company throws at you. Another excellent tip is to dissect every common question the interviewer may potentially ask you. Take the time to understand and lay out some bullet points for your responses to make it easier to answer and always looking more prepared.
If the jobs you’re applying to aren’t responding to your resume and cover letter, don’t panic. Take a step back and carefully read their job descriptions more closely. See if there’s a key detail that you overlooked that every job has in common. If you simply aren’t meeting the current qualifications, consider widening your search. This doesn’t mean switching job titles, it simply means looking for positions that require less experience and have all the skills that you require to be promoted and succeed in your field.
Take a second look at your list of qualifications and compare them with what is necessary for your current dream job. If you are missing some crucial skills, consider taking an online course that ends up with you becoming certified in the very expertise your top choices are prominently seeking.
Just know that no matter what, you will eventually find yourself preparing for your first day at your new job. The first thing that you have to do is never lose hope, keep grinding as much as you can and when you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a break and do something for yourself. Operating only stressed will only hinder you, so taking some time to recharge your batteries will substantially decrease your stress levels and end your search earlier because you will have impressed someone enough to let them give you the job you were looking for all along.
Remember, don’t give up, be prepared for the tough times and your moment will come sooner than you think.
