7 Tips for Finding Your Next Job
Ready to start your search, but don’t know where to begin? We’ve compiled a list of tips to help you.
When looking for a job, you want your efforts to pay off. Sometimes simply pressing the apply button for an application isn’t enough. Keep reading to discover best practices for composing your resume, applying for jobs, utilizing social media, and more!
- Answer your phone and check your voicemail/email. Employers regularly express difficulties getting in touch with applicants. Don’t let this be you!
- Apply early. When submitting applications for competitive positions, it’s recommended that you be one of the first to apply. Employers may stop accepting resumes soon after posting.
- Tailor your resume to the position. While this may be more time-consuming at first, and result in multiple versions of your resume, the payoff can be worth it. For each application, check out the job description for qualifications and skills that match your strengths. Include these on your resume, and use them as talking points during future interviews. In addition, try using jobscan.co to help optimize your resume, or reach out to your Route to Relief Career Services Coordinator for assistance.
- Include a cover letter. If your resume shows gaps in your work history, provide a cover letter that explains this occurrence.
- Network with personal and professional acquaintances. This can be a quick and effective way to identify job opportunities. Utilize social platforms, such as LinkedIn, to connect with people at companies where you‘d like to apply. Ask about job openings, how to stand out in an interview, and what the hiring process was like for them.
- Give yourself a starting point. Create a list of job titles and companies you’re interested in learning more about. Try visiting onetonline.org for information about specific jobs, such as technology skills, job responsibilities, wages and employment trends, etc.
- Clean up your social media - Employers are looking! Consider reviewing your past posts and tags to ensure that they do not negatively impact how you are seen as a potential job candidate. If you have a history of frequently commenting on posts, review these and ensure that your words aren't offensive or impolite. You might Google your name, and see what pops up. Read this Forbes article to learn more about sprucing up your digital presence.
Remember: Job searching can be a numbers game, so keep applying. The more applications and networking you do, the more results you’ll get!