Job hunting can be challenging and time consuming coupled with the growing interest of recruiters to hire more diverse candidates. If you are actively finding jobs in the new year, we have compiled a list of top essential job searching tips just for you.
Targeting
1. If you are unsure what is the type of job you want to work in. Start with identifying the job title and work requirements that interest you so you can start aligning your job search tools( resume, LinkedIn profile)
2. Consider the work environment that you want to engage in, whether it is team-based, independent or both. Determine the desired company size, industry, work culture and location. Come up with a list of companies that align with your requirements and start researching.
3. Leverage your network and opportunities for internal referrals to support your job searching. Inform your networks who you are, the value you can offer and what you are currently looking for. Try to reach out to contacts with decision making powers.
4. Concentrate on alternative ways that you can reach out to these potential employers. Look for alumni from your school who work with your target employers by searching on LinkedIn. Connect with them to seek insights about the company. Check out the LinkedIn page for your university. Search through the Alumni tab and use filters to sort out based on employers, industry and geography.
5. Evaluate your strengths, career profile and establish a solid social media profile then strategically look for relevant contacts. Set your interview strategy and resume ahead before your job search instead of executing it last-minute.
Strategy
1. Use social proof to establish the importance of your work quality. Seek testimonials from your network, former bosses or take a passage from your LinkedIn profile recommendations. Ambiguous testimonials such as “X is a great employee and we value the contributions he did for us.” Choose a specific and in-depth testimonial: “X plan his time and take the extra mile to get things done. Due to his outstanding contribution, he breaks his sales record for three months consecutively.” Using social proof is a great way to flaunt about yourself without showing off as arrogant. It is easier to convince employers by providing the much needed proof and validation that they seek.
2. Research what skills are the most on demand. High demand jobs will lead you to companies who are actively hiring. Certain companies would even provide opportunities to train skills that you don’t possess yet. For instance, the blockchain industry has become on-demand for the past few years. While most jobs are dedicated to tech people, there are other relevant jobs that are required to fill out these expanding companies.
3. It is not possible to anticipate what the interview questions will be asked but you can share your work experience and adapt it depending on the wording of the question. Be specific, state what you did and the outcome of your efforts as an indicator of how effective your work performance. Some of the common questions such as “Tell me about yourself” or “your strengths/weaknesses” can be used as a practice. Try it with a partner and get feedback to refine your interview skills.
4. Company reviews from job sites and social media sites from people who previously worked are not always a reliable source of information. It is better to search for trends or commonalities in comments instead. You can reach out to people who worked at the company you are interested in through LinkedIn. If the degrees of separation is out of your reach, look for someone who can refer to you with an introduction. You can even set up Google alerts to keep you in the loop on the latest insights about the company. It adds value to your interview and makes you more knowledgeable and up to date about the organisation.
Related: 6 Tips To Make Your Resume Stand Out In 2019
1. Ensure your LinkedIn profile viewing options are set to full visibility. That means when you view employer’s profile, your name and profile link will be recorded on their “Who has Viewed Your Profile” stats page. This is a great indicator for them, that you are interested in the position and their company. They are aware that you are persistent and keen enough to conduct your own research. Simple and minor efforts can make you standout especially during the interview session.
2. Share career related contents to show potential employers your interests. Be sociable and share your opinions about career-related posts. Most importantly, share any accomplishments, activities or highlights of your past work experience.
3. Social media can give you insights such as the company’s workplace atmosphere. There are certain industries where they choose to opt for minimal social media presence due to compliance and risk factors. Always consider the industry which you want to be involved in besides targeting specific organisations or companies.
Networking
1. Instead of inviting a person over a cup of coffee, arrange an informational interview. In this form of meeting, you can set goals and seek the results that you desired while considering the other person’s needs. The relationship will be more lasting and productive compared to setting up a casual conversation. You are the one that decides how to make the best use of everyone’s time and to persuade people to say yes to your offer.
Related: 3 Ways To Restart Your Career in the New Year
Personal Branding
1. Recruiters and hiring managers look for suitable candidates with the right “hard skills.” They are also looking to find out how well you engage with people and what kind of leadership trait you have. This is a great opportunity for you to embrace and share your personality on LinkedIn, resume, bio and other relevant personal materials. Try not to overextend and share things that you didn’t include in your social profile or resume. Say things about how you work and contribute, guiding principles and your motto.
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You Jing is a content writer who writes career and lifestyle contents to inspire job seekers and employers alike on their journey to work-life balance, empowerment and transformation in their career path.
Reach me at youjing@jobstore.com