Job searching can be an overwhelming task. Whether you’re actively looking or not, these strategies are designed to simplify the process and help you maximize your opportunities to improve your job search.
1. Develop a Personal Marketing Plan
Identify your “target market” by developing a list of companies you might want to work for. Research these companies and make every effort to talk to people connected with them, gathering insights and making your skills known before a job opens up. In today’s competitive job market, targeted networking and ongoing personal marketing are more crucial than ever.
2. Find the Hiring Manager
Find hiring managers using the Jump platform, LinkedIn, etc. to locate names, titles, email addresses, and phone numbers. Contact hiring managers directly to apply for jobs and to ask for interviews. Contacting a hiring manager proactively demonstrates interest and passion and can lead to opportunities you never knew existed. Create your own opportunity, don’t wait for it to come to you.
3. Keep Your Job Search Confidential
If you are quietly searching for a job while still employed, don’t use any company assets to conduct your job search (including your company computer, email, and cellphone). Some companies track usage of these items, so it’s better to search on your own terms.
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4. Take Action Today and Improve your Job Search
Get moving! Take action today! While you assess and plan your job search strategy, also take daily action. This may be as simple as calling a connected friend for a 10-minute conversation. It may mean writing and posting your first blog post, publish daily tweets in your area of expertise, or attending an industry association meeting. Do something every day, and include activities that you can do both from home or at an event. You don’t have to have all your job search ducks in a row in order to make progress. Keep moving forward and it will surely pay off.
5. Update Your LinkedIn Profile
Make sure that your LinkedIn profile is robust and updated. Load it with the appropriate keywords and detail, including a professional photo. Connect with as many people as you can and begin using LinkedIn as a tool to develop and enhance contacts and find new opportunities.
6. Turn off Activity Notifications on LinkedIn
If you’re a covert job seeker, remember to turn off your activity broadcasts (within privacy and settings) when you make edits to your LinkedIn profile. If your current boss or colleagues are connected to you on LinkedIn, they may get suspicious about frequent changes, so it’s best to keep profile edits discreet.
7. Watch What You Say on Social Media
Watch what you say on social media at all times. The things you say can either hurt or harm you, and you don’t want to have something you said in a public forum come back to haunt you. Your current and potential employer may be watching your social media profiles, so choose your words carefully. Even if your content is always appropriate, make sure to double check your spelling and grammar because you never know who might be watching and forming an opinion.