Do you happen to be in the market for a job? Being thrown in with thousands of job hunters who are in search of the perfect position to jump start their career is hard. Unless you decide to be a freelancer and jump start your practice in ad-hoc office spaces, you will be fighting head on with everyone to get good offers from top companies.
Related: The Lazy Job Seeker’s Guide To Getting A Dream Job
Dressing up for success, customizing your resume, and pursuing your passions are, among other things, conventional building blocks for success. But, sticking to the formula for success can be a bit outdated. In fact, spicing things up a bit by doing something outside the box can be just the thing that you need to find the right career path. Here are some of the most effective (yet unusual) methods for landing your dream job:
1. Get noticed by offering a solution.
Amidst the corporate and industrial warfare, companies are looking for one thing –solutions! If you want to land your dream job, do not just wait for it to be offered to you, create the opportunity to grab it with both hands. Pick around two companies that you want to work for, be thorough about studying the field or the industry and discovering the challenges that the company is facing. From this information, you can offer a solution through a public blog or offer it directly. You can give them a glimpse of how you can be of value for them and, after all, you decided to offer your advice for free.
2. Do not send a job application once you find it.
When you see a job posting that interests you, you might be eager to send your application. But one of the most dreadful things about looking for a job these days is sending out applications and not hearing back. It would be better if you research the company, get in touch with someone working there, then ask for advice and let them be the one to tell you of the job opening. This way, you can ask where to submit your application and resume.
3. Focus on where the job will lead you.
There’s no denying that entry-level jobs can be very unglamorous, but you have to focus not on the current position but on the opportunities that can come with the job. If you work hard for that job, where will it lead you in five years’ time? Instead of thinking of your role, focus on where it would be easier for you to build networks with the industry’s top people, how to add value to that company, and how to ensure that you can be hired internally by the company to handle the position that you have been aiming for.
4. Learn when to use your listening skills in an interview.
When you are going for an interview, most people think that they are supposed to be the one to do all the talking. But, just like in real life, the interview is a two way communication process and you should know when to stay quiet and pay close attention to what the interviewer is saying. Know when to ask questions, when to talk and when to listen.
5. Stop following your passion all the time.
It has been established in the entire history of humanity that people do not know what they really want. Although following your passion can be a good way to keep you motivated, it should not always be the norm. This doesn’t mean that you have to disregard your passion but be rational about doing so. Passion about your work can develop over time. And, remember that a lot of people who followed their so called passions are stuck with a job that they abhor.
These days, finding that job that you would love to wake up for each morning can be a bit difficult to find. And, as they say, desperate times call for desperate measures; it may be high time to employ tactics that go against the grid. However, be sure to know when to use these tips and when not to.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.