March 29, 2017
If youâre in the job market and you find yourself getting frustrated by the processâyouâre not alone! A common mistake that job seekers make is a failure to diversify their approach. Donât put all your resumes in one basket! A successful job search involves juggling different moving pieces, and you have to get creative with how you search for jobs and prepare for interviews. If youâre not getting the results you'd like, try a new approach. Here are 7 different job search strategies:
1. Networking
Start with people you already know and would feel comfortable contacting. Donât just think about these people, make a list. Include colleagues, clients, vendors, former professors and classmates, friends, neighbors, and even relatives. Write up a short statement that quickly tells your network: why youâre in the market, what you do, and why youâre good at itâdonât forget to highlight the results youâve had in prior roles (discuss academic and internship success stories if youâre a recent graduate). Share your âpitchâ and resume with your contacts and ask for introductions to anyone in THEIR network.
2. Follow-up
Once isnât enough. People are busy and results require follow-up. This is a critical part of the application process as well. Donât just apply and wait to be called. Whether youâre asking a networking contact to forward your resume to someone on their team, or youâve just applied to a great job onlineâfollowing up is often the nudge thatâs needed to get results, or at the very least, a response.
3. LinkedIn
Most of the high-quality jobs are here. Most people donât spend much time thinking about LinkedIn unless theyâre in the middle of a job search, but recruiters and HR managers use LinkedIn daily. Get the most âbang for your buckâ by setting up job searches and by taking advantage of keyword search stringsâthis makes your profile a magnet for hiring managers. Review job descriptions for roles that youâre interested in and make sure to include keywords from the job descriptions on your profile.Â
4. Social Media
You donât have to make a Facebook announcement that says youâre in the job marketâthough you certainly can. As noted above, most people donât use LinkedIn that heavily unless theyâre in HR or recruiting, so a subtler approach is to message some of your friends privately via social media. You can also check out companies youâre interested in and see what theyâre posting. This will give you valuable insight into whatâs important to them, the kind of lingo they use, and what their culture is like. This is a great way to prepare for interviews too. Â
5. Recruiting Firms
Having a recruiter or two in your corner can't hurt. Recruiters have access to a vast network of active HR contacts and they also have a direct link to companies who are hiring. Working with recruiters doesnât necessarily mean youâll be a contract or temporary employee either. If youâre in the job market, consider reaching out to a recruiting firm in your area, or one that specializes in your industry.
6. The Business Journal
Most major cities have a Business Journal, so check out the one in your area. If a new company is moving to town and plans to hire, the Business Journal will tell you about it. This is a great way to stay informed on whatâs going on in your city and to find alternative job search prospects that might not have occurred to you. The Business Journal also contains valuable local information that can lead to smart talking points in networking conversations and interviews.
7.Other Job Boards
The last job search strategy is to apply to positions through other job boards like Indeed, Monster, The Ladders, and Career Builder. The reality is this is a part of the process, but the challenge is that employers often receive a high volume of unqualified applications. This is discouraging for them (and for you) and it requires someone to weed through and sort out the people who need to have a closer look. This takes time and it can mean your resume may never be seen by a real person. Should you even use the job boards then? We say yes, because it canât hurtâbut this should not be your primary job search strategy.
Good luck with your search!
1. Networking
Start with people you already know and would feel comfortable contacting. Donât just think about these people, make a list. Include colleagues, clients, vendors, former professors and classmates, friends, neighbors, and even relatives. Write up a short statement that quickly tells your network: why youâre in the market, what you do, and why youâre good at itâdonât forget to highlight the results youâve had in prior roles (discuss academic and internship success stories if youâre a recent graduate). Share your âpitchâ and resume with your contacts and ask for introductions to anyone in THEIR network.
2. Follow-up
Once isnât enough. People are busy and results require follow-up. This is a critical part of the application process as well. Donât just apply and wait to be called. Whether youâre asking a networking contact to forward your resume to someone on their team, or youâve just applied to a great job onlineâfollowing up is often the nudge thatâs needed to get results, or at the very least, a response.
3. LinkedIn
Most of the high-quality jobs are here. Most people donât spend much time thinking about LinkedIn unless theyâre in the middle of a job search, but recruiters and HR managers use LinkedIn daily. Get the most âbang for your buckâ by setting up job searches and by taking advantage of keyword search stringsâthis makes your profile a magnet for hiring managers. Review job descriptions for roles that youâre interested in and make sure to include keywords from the job descriptions on your profile.Â
4. Social Media
You donât have to make a Facebook announcement that says youâre in the job marketâthough you certainly can. As noted above, most people donât use LinkedIn that heavily unless theyâre in HR or recruiting, so a subtler approach is to message some of your friends privately via social media. You can also check out companies youâre interested in and see what theyâre posting. This will give you valuable insight into whatâs important to them, the kind of lingo they use, and what their culture is like. This is a great way to prepare for interviews too. Â
5. Recruiting Firms
Having a recruiter or two in your corner can't hurt. Recruiters have access to a vast network of active HR contacts and they also have a direct link to companies who are hiring. Working with recruiters doesnât necessarily mean youâll be a contract or temporary employee either. If youâre in the job market, consider reaching out to a recruiting firm in your area, or one that specializes in your industry.
6. The Business Journal
Most major cities have a Business Journal, so check out the one in your area. If a new company is moving to town and plans to hire, the Business Journal will tell you about it. This is a great way to stay informed on whatâs going on in your city and to find alternative job search prospects that might not have occurred to you. The Business Journal also contains valuable local information that can lead to smart talking points in networking conversations and interviews.
7.Other Job Boards
The last job search strategy is to apply to positions through other job boards like Indeed, Monster, The Ladders, and Career Builder. The reality is this is a part of the process, but the challenge is that employers often receive a high volume of unqualified applications. This is discouraging for them (and for you) and it requires someone to weed through and sort out the people who need to have a closer look. This takes time and it can mean your resume may never be seen by a real person. Should you even use the job boards then? We say yes, because it canât hurtâbut this should not be your primary job search strategy.
Good luck with your search!
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