Don’t work harder…work smarter. You hear the expression all the time. It’s good professional advice, and you can put it into action even before you land a position. By running a smarter job search, you increase your chances of finding a meaningful, career-building opportunity.
Job searches quickly become tedious slogs. You end up just sending resume after resume. It can become frustrating and, eventually, counterproductive. All those applications you send to borderline opportunities cost you time and contribute to your sense of burnout.
Instead of taking the volume approach, use a more targeted strategy. Don’t try to land a position by applying to almost everything you see. Rather, use these tips to conduct a smarter job search:
Consider Your Career Goals
Before applying to individual positions, create a long-term game plan. Don’t just send out resumes to everything you see. Concentrate on opportunities that fit into your broader career plans.
Prepare Multiple Resumes
Customize your pitch to each individual application you submit. Prepare multiple versions of your resume, each one highlighting parts of your experience that appeal to certain sub-categories of your job search field. For each position that you apply for, select the version of your resume the best suits the opportunity.
Target the Specific Position
From there, you should continue customizing your presentation. Fine-tune your chosen resume selection for the individual position. Try to match keywords and requirements, as listed in the job posting. Complement this tailored resume with an equally customized cover letter.
Cultivate Your Network
The best way to get a job is to have an “in” at a company. If you know someone who can fast-track your application, you are more likely to get in front of a decision-maker.
Tap into your network to find opportunities. Also, keep building your network at all times. Even when you have a job, make an effort to meet new people and form deeper connections.
Practice Your Interview Skills
Like any skill, excelling at interviews takes practice. Run through mock interviews, preparing for likely questions and crafting responses. Record yourself answering the answers and constructively critique your performance. That way, when the real thing comes along, you are ready.
Stay Positive
The job search process can sap up your self-confidence. It’s an exercise in near-constant rejection. But whatever happens, you can’t give into despair and frustration. It’s important to stay optimistic and to maintain your enthusiasm. With the right attitude, you will eventually break through.
Keep Building Your Skills
Finding a position gets easier when you have a broad skill base. By developing and mastering a wide range of competencies, you increase your odds of finding a position in a short period of time. You’ll find more opportunities that you qualify for, and you’re more likely to land the positions that you apply to.
As such, turn skill development into an ongoing process. If you have any downtime, try to enhance your skills. By taking classes or working on your own, you can be building your resume, even when you don’t have a job.
Finding the perfect position can be frustrating work. It gets easier when you have a partner. By teaming with an industry-leading recruiter, like PrideStaff, you’ll get matched with ideal opportunities for your long-term career growth.
Contact Pridestaff Bend’s expert recruiters today to find out more details.
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