October 15, 2013
- Put in the necessary time: Job hunting is a full-time gig! You should be prepared to set aside some quality time on a very regular basis to work on your resume and cover letters, reach out to people, and look for opportunities both online and at networking and/or professional events.
- Leverage social networks: We’re sure your LinkedIn is all up-to-date and beautiful, but feel free to keep working on it and making it even better. But social networks don’t stop there. Your Facebook, if you have one, should be well-protected and appropriate. If you don’t have one, consider a Twitter account to build your online brand, engage with the online community, and show how valuable of a resource you could be for an organization.
- Keywords are your friends: In resumes and online job searches, keywords are gold. On the resume side, make sure you research and understand what the significant key words are for the jobs you’re applying to and be sure to use those keywords so you’ll get picked up by search functions. By the same token, if you’re feeling like your job post searches aren’t getting you anything, try working with or changing up your key search words a little. Sometimes the best job posts are hidden from view because the same old search terms are used over and over.
- Be vocal: Don’t be afraid to tell everyone you’re looking; you never know where the next opportunity might come from. There’s no harm in letting people know you’re on the market for a new opportunity.
- And be gracious: Thank everyone who helps you out, no matter how small. A handwritten card is a great way to stick in someone’s mind and gratitude never, ever hurts.
- Don’t be annoying: Don’t submit applications over and over again for the same position. The line is thin between eagerness and annoying, but it is there. If you’re worried you might cross it it’s worth it to hold off on resubmitting.
- Reflect on what makes you different: Take the time to know your skills and unique qualifications so that you can better job-hunt for positions and organizations where you will fit especially well. It’s easy to talk about yourself; it’s less easy to really enunciate why you’re a perfect fit for a role or an organization.
What do you find works best for you in your job search? Share you thoughts below!
Posted By: Madeline Stone