In my career, I’ve spoken with thousands of candidates for a wide variety of job opportunities. Some candidates are very prepared for the job search process and some candidates, not so much. The more prepared that a candidate is, the quicker their job search will end. More importantly, the better job they will get.
It’s a daunting task, whether you are a recent graduate, experienced professional, or looking for that “last job” before you retire. What’s interesting is that wherever you are on your career arc, you will face the same challenge. Many people can get overwhelmed by the job search process, but the key is to take it one step at a time.
Below, you will find a high level road map for an effective job search.
- Develop your personal brand: Why would an employer want to hire you? What problems do you solve? What differentiates you from other people?
- Update/Create a resume: In simple terms, I tell people you want an easy-to-read/follow resume that is impactful. If you focus too much on content and not format, the reader (recruiter or hiring manager) won’t find the content. If you make your resume easy-to-read, but there isn’t any substance to it, then the impact will be minimal and your resume (and job application) will end up in the cyber “no pile.” And for the love of God, please make sure that you don’t have any typos on your resume.
- Update/Create your LinkedIn profile: In this day and age, just about every recruiter and hiring manager will review a candidate’s LinkedIn profile (and other social media profiles). You want to make sure that your LinkedIn profile reinforces your personal brand. And regarding your other social media profiles, make them private so they cannot be viewed by potential employers.
- Job Searching: Utilize your network. Expand your network. Look at job boards (ZipRecruiter, Indeed, LinkedIn, etc.). Adjust your resume to the job posting/vacancy.
- Interviewing: Pre-interview work includes researching the company and interviewers and creating a list of questions that you want to ask. If you haven’t interviewed in a long time or are a novice interviewer, I would highly recommend that you practice interviewing. During the interview, take notes, be engaged, don’t devalue the importance of small talk, and provide well thought out answers to the interviewer’s questions. Close the interview properly, with a good handshake, let them know that you are very interested in the company/role, and find out what the next steps are in the hiring process. And while writing a thank you letter may sound old fashioned, it is definitely a way to stand out in a crowd.
Over the next few months, we will take a deeper dive into each section and provide more detailed tips and observations.
Coming up next!
Developing your personal brand. The foundation of your job search.