If you’re serious about starting a job search, prepare to take on a project. Leads will pile up. Your resume will need a makeover. Interviews will need to be scheduled and emails returned. In short, looking for work is a job in itself.
To help you successfully navigate the job search, try these tips.
- Master the mechanics.
- Network, network, network.
- Keep track of everything.
- Settle in for the long haul.
- Be creative.
Master the Mechanics
Years ago, recruiting was entirely relational, according to Bill Catlette, founder and managing partner at Contented Cow Partners, a leadership training and executive coaching company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. Today, it’s transactional and mechanical, Catlette said in an email.
This means that it's important to master the basics of job searching, including making sure your resume and cover letter are well-written, crafting a compelling LinkedIn profile and understanding how online job application forms work.
If you don’t do that, you could end up spending a lot of time on a job search and getting nowhere.
“In order to be actually seen and considered by a real, pulsating human, your resume, in whatever form it takes, will first be screened by search bots that are scanning for particular words listed among your qualifications and general work history. If they’re missing, you’re stuck,” Catlette said.
Network, Network, Network
Sometimes, who you know and who is willing to lend you a helping hand can be crucial to finding a job.
For that reason, networking should be an ongoing project, according to Kaitlyn Fletcher, a human resources manager at Flex HR, a human resources consultancy based in Atlanta and Chicago. It’s something you should keep doing even after you get a job.
“The best networkers pay it forward,” Fletcher said in an email. “You can’t go into networking only thinking about, 'What is in it for me?' Instead, you need to think about, 'What can I do to help others?'"
If you’re at a networking event, she suggests making it a goal to help three people in addition to making connections to help yourself.
Keep Track of Everything
If you send out lots of resumes and cover letters, it's important to have a system to document your progress.
“Create an Excel document listing the name of the company, job title, date you applied to the position, if there has been any follow-up, and then pros and cons after completing an interview,” Fletcher said.
If you have business cards from contacts, hang onto them. In fact, Fletcher said, "Any business card you collect, call or email them the next day and thank them for speaking with you the night before."