Back on the job market? Here are 4 tips you should follow
So you’ve found yourself back in the job market competing for increasingly scarce job openings. By now, you’re probably accustomed to the boilerplate ‘brush up your resume’, ‘seek out your passion’, ‘prepare for interviews’ bits of advice. While these do amp up your competitive advantage, they’re also the counsel virtually everyone else is sticking to, so overall, you’re only getting as competitive as everyone else. To stand out in the job market, you need to be unique, hone in on your creativity and also, shy away from cookie-cutter job hunting techniques.
If you’re looking to get on this path of redefining your job hunt, here are some tips you should commit to your job search strategy:
1. Online job applications are a great start, but not the perfect way to finish
Typical job search scenario; you’ve found a great company to work for and like everybody else you submit an online application. You then proceed to rest your oars, again like everybody else. If your goal is to last very long in the job market, this ‘submit and rely on fate to make things happen’ routine is exactly what the doctor recommended. However, if you’re set to snag up that dream job, then the interval between submitting your resume and getting called up is the best time to get to know more about the company in question. Don’t pass up on an opportunity to form relationships with potential colleagues and make sure to seek advice from an internal recruiter (if possible). By doing this, you’re not only gaining valuable insight on the company but also advertising yourself as the most proactive and industrious candidate.
2. Job-hunting is not a question of being the most refined applicant
What do people who tick all the checkboxes of corporate etiquette, from articulate resumes to sleek suits and courteous smiles, have in common with the underachievers of the world – they’re usually missing out on creativity and ingenuity, which is what most companies hiring for competitive advantage would be on the lookout for. This is not to say that being professional and courteous should be thrown overboard. On the contrary, it should instead form part of your package but should never be your main selling point. And speaking of being a tad bit professional…
3. LinkedIn is the corporate Facebook. If you are not on it you’re not serious about getting connected
It’s on record that 90% of recruiters resort to LinkedIn as their talent hunt tool. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, you’re missing on the radar of over 90% of recruiters. Let that sink in. In a job market where 100% is barely enough, restricting yourself to just 10% is a case of fishing in an overcrowded pond (overcrowded by fishermen that is).
4. Maintain a flexible resume and LinkedIn profile
One mistake most job seekers make is to commit to a singular resume for all job openings. Yes, you spent an entire week fine-tuning that resume and LinkedIn profile, but that doesn’t make it the perfect depiction of you for every job opening. As a matter of fact, there is no permanently perfect resume. Your resume (and LinkedIn profile) should be specifically tailored to match the description of the job you’re gunning for – every single time. Make modifications, edit hobbies, and change references as is required.
Overall, your best bet as a job seeker is to attempt to stand out from the crowd – in positives ways. Most recruiters are looking for employees who would make a difference not those who will bring the same old to the employee pool. If you are planning to land the dream job in record time, you have to think, act and impress on a different wavelength from the rest of the job seeker pack.
Give it a go! You won’t know what opportunities await you until you put yourself out there and get connected. In many cases, this is only the start of your journey. As a talent recruitment firm, it’s our job and passion to match you, the ideal candidate, with a company that fits you best.
Send us an email so we can set a meeting and get to know you better. Working with a recruitment firm like ours is a great next step when seriously seeking a new job. We don’t stop until we find the right placement for you!