The job market may seem daunting with no beginning and no end. There is only one prize coveted by even thousands of candidates, but only the best one can get it. However, the weapons of choice here don’t require much physical training, but skills and perseverance. So, let’s plunge into the starter’s kit that will surely give you access to the job market.
1. Make a Combat Plan
A proper job hunt needs your full-time attention. To implement a thorough and complex search, you need a daily routine to which you should stick 100% no matter what.
First, you can unlock the support of online platforms that offer you new professional opportunities every day. To not let good luck slip through your fingers, you need to check the updates from these websites even several times a day. So, pick the five job searching platforms that you are familiar with and subscribe to their news. You should choose some specific hours of the day to look at them. For example, every morning you can drink your coffee while doing your research.
Furthermore, before applying, you should read the selected job descriptions in depth. If a company representative calls you to set up a meeting, you don’t want to show up unaware of what position is available within the organization or mistake it for some other offer. For example, the Old Navy job application discloses any detail you might be interested in, from requirements, salaries, and benefits, to a synopsis of the company history. Learn as much as possible about the opening and apply only if it meets all your professional standards.
2. Make Yourself Noticeable
With the advent of Internet, the limelight has shifted from TV celebrities to common people throughout the web. This means that you have equal chances to make yourself noticeable as any other person with an Internet connection.
There are many online platforms out where you can create top notch profiles. The website to go to for this kind of situation is LinkedIn, the social media for professionals. However, you shouldn’t neglect the power of Facebook or Twitter. If you have the right skills for digital marketing or PR, the chances are that employers will check out your social media profiles. Consequently, you should polish your online pages to look as appealing as possible. Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiters and discover what they want to see most on your Facebook profile for example.
The best thing about social networking is that it opens a two-way communication line. You can befriend the companies you want to work for and interact with their posts frequently. By being proactive, you can make yourself visible to the right people.
3. Spend Time on Networking
HR efforts to find a new fit for the company are usually time consuming and expensive. This is why many organizations encourage their own employees to recommend their friends or acquaintances for the newly available position. Usually, people befriend someone they have things in common with, so their friends have better chances to settle quite perfectly within the company culture. In addition, some jobs are not even advertised.
Whether it is a hidden or not, a new opening would rather be filled by an employee recommendation than a complete stranger. So, you should do your research and check if someone you know even remotely works for your dream company. Thanks to some intuitive features on social media, you can even see if any employees are friends with some other friends of yours. If any kind of plausible connection comes up, you should make everything possible to go out for a coffee with your person of interest and see if she or he can introduce you to their HR team.
Furthermore, there are many professional events you can attend and meet new people. So, put on your best suit, and be present at these conventions. You should always do some homework in advance, though. Read about the main subject that will empower the event and come up with some smart questions. Once you are there, you should be able to start a conversation with anybody from there by making a statement about the overall subject or ask a question regarding the main theme. You never know who you might bump into in a room full of experts in your dream field. Also, you should follow up your new contacts after the event so that you will settle the relationship for good.
4. Take Care of Yourself
While a proper job hunt takes time and effort to become fruitful, it is neither mission impossible nor the most important thing in your life. The chances are that you will not find your perfect job in a day. However, the reason behind is not because you are not worthy, but because all quality things aren’t built in a day.
So, take your mind off any rejection you receive, and invest time in your well-being. Get out and explore the world with your friends. Read books, get plenty of sleep, pursue your hobbies, and hone your skills. Like any other person, you need a meaningful purpose in your life. Instead of waiting for an employer to give you tasks, you can put yourself and the community in the center of your attention.
All in all, job hunting is all about being proactive and putting yourself out there. You can be the best fit for the job you want, but the recruiters don’t know that yet. So, start today and help them discover your awesome professional persona.
