When you’re looking for a job, it can feel like it’s all you have time to do. Between scrolling job boards, making calls, sending emails, preparing your resumes for dozens of applications, writing cover letters, interviewing….. the list goes on. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Keep reading to learn how to make your job search work for you (and not the other way around).
1. Generalize Your Resume
When you’re searching for specific roles, it may not make sense to pare your resume down to the basics. But it can be helpful – starting with a general resume featuring your skills, employment history, and profile will make it much easier to tailor it to your desired roles later on. All you’ll have to do is modify the details to fit the specifics of the job rather than starting from scratch every time.
2. Use Job Boards to Your Advantage
Once you have a resume that ticks all of the boxes, upload it to job sites like Monster or Indeed to let employers find you. Hiring managers often perform resume searches when they can’t find the right candidate, and having an up-to-date resume uploaded to popular job sites can be a huge advantage. This is especially true for passive job seekers – if you’re not on a time crunch, you can sit back and let potential employers find you.
3. Work with Recruiters
Recruiters and recruitment agencies can be huge assets to any job seeker, but they’re especially beneficial when you’re looking for someone to take the guesswork out of your job application. Recruiters can help you perfect your resume, brush up on the necessary technical skills you need to succeed, prepare for interviews, and present yourself to potential employers. Recruiters may find your profile through job boards or networking sites like LinkedIn, but a great first step is sending in an application to the agency (like ours! Reach us at info@stellar-recruitment.com). In many cases, your profile will even be added to a database to be contacted for future relevant opportunities.
4. Set Up Job Alerts
Plenty of the most popular online job boards feature job alerts that you can tailor to your exact specifications. Sites like ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, and Indeed can be set up to send alerts to your email every time a relevant opportunity becomes available. You can even get weekly updates with a list of roles you might be interested in. Setting up job alerts combined with your uploaded resume can make applying for a job as easy as checking your inbox.
5. Make the Right Connections
Most professionals are used to using sites like LinkedIn to network with like-minded people in their industry. But it can be worth it to make connections on other social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram. Letting a broader network of people (even your friends, family, and old colleagues) know that you’re on the hunt for new opportunities will open up plenty of new potential leads. Take a moment to send a few messages and emails letting others know that you’re on the market and make new professional connections.
Do you have any other tips and tricks that you use in your job search? Let us know in the comments below to be featured in future articles!
