Whether you are a passive job seeker positioning yourself for your next big career move, or an active job seeker that is unexpectedly thrust into your search, there are several things to consider when initiating your job search strategy. Effectively utilizing the following information can help increase the number of job offers you receive, shorten the duration of your job search, and hopefully get you a position that helps you achieve your professional goals.
Resume Preparation
The initial step in beginning a job search is to ensure that your resume is well prepared. Most resumes fail to communicate impact to the business, but they do a good job of describing job duties. Effective resumes present a blend of job duties and functions, as well as accomplishments. Accomplishments have even greater impact if the results are measured by financial impact or percentages.
Elevator Pitch
In order to conduct an effective job search strategy you must know what you are looking for. Before leveraging your network or applying for positions, make sure you know what you want. You have developed some skills and experience and now is the time to decide how you want to apply those skills and what is important to you in an employer. Your elevator pitch should serve as a job search mission and can be useful in avoiding the wrong job and/or employer.
Effective Networking
The truth is networking is an underdeveloped skill for most professionals. If the concept of leveraging your contacts only comes to mind when you need something, then you are already set up for failure. Professionals need to regularly engage in activities to help expand their connections in all aspects of their lives (i.e. business, personal, and civic). You never know when you may need someone’s help and you may be surprised who is the key link to helping you find your next position.
Whether you are an active or passive job seeker, our advice is to make a detailed list contacts that you can leverage to improve your job search strategy. The list should include:
- Friends
- Relatives
- Teachers/Professors
- Current and Former Co-Workers
- College Alumni
- Church Members
- Parents you know through other activities’
Leave no stone unturned. The majority of job seekers find employment through someone in their network. Bankers, Attorneys, CPAs and other professional service providers can serve as excellent contacts. Usually, they can further expand your network and reach. Once your list is complete start making contact with each person and let them know what you are looking for.
Leveraging Technology
Keep in touch with your recruiter throughout the job search process. Don’t hesitate to keep in touch with them on a regular basis until you find your next job. If you are engaged in an interview process, don’t let a week go by without contacting them if you haven’t been in touch.
There are many job seeker tools online. Make sure that you are leveraging these resources. It takes little time to create a user profile on a job board or job aggregator like Simply Hired or Indeed. Craft a few job alerts and these job sites will notify you when opportunities match your interests.
Engaging Recruiters
There are many reasons to engage a recruiter, but not all recruiters are the same. First and foremost, make sure the recruiter you allow to represent you has your best interest in mind. You should know how much experience they have, their specialization/niche, and the type of employers they represent. Top recruiters will perform significant due diligence to ensure they know your strengths and your professional interests prior to defining job search strategy.
In conclusion, the job search process can be an exhaustive and tedious process. However, that does not always have to be the case. Crafting a resume that highlights your strengths, leveraging your relationships, effectively utilizing technology, and connecting with recruiters are all steps that will place you on the path to job search success. If you are looking to connect with a recruiter, get in touch with us!
