You could have called it quits with your former job; probably you needed a promotion but you were never offered one, or the working conditions were too tough for you to handle. It could be that you failed to work well with your colleagues, or basically you wanted a better salary. Well, whatever the case, landing employment is no walk in the park. Here are a few tips to follow to find a job with ease; Get clear on what you want According to LiveCareer, before starting your job search, take time to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and the type of work you enjoy doing. The better you know yourself, the more likely you WIll find a new job that provides you with greater satisfaction. What do you want in a job? What’s most important, title, money, promotion, the work itself, location, or company culture? Tailor your resume to each job Your resume is still one of the most critical tools of a job search. A lot of resumes are full of responsibilities (instead of tangible achievements) and jobseekers send the same resume to various openings. One of the best tips for finding a new job is to have an achievement-oriented resume that includes quantifiable achievements that are relevant to the job you’re applying for, states LiveCareer. “Make yourself an obvious fit. Study the words and phrases that are used in the job description? Make sure you include them in your resume (provided you have that experience, of course). Tailor your resume to each job – the recruiter should know within a few seconds of looking at your resume that you have the skills they are looking for.” Plan ahead According to the career guide, organise yourself and your schedule to search for jobs more efficiently. Determine how many hours per day or what days of the week you will dedicate to job hunting or networking. Make sure your resume and cover letter are up to date. If you need help creating these, search for templates or samples online. Have a list of two to three references and their contact information ready to provide employers. Use all job search resources “Rather than limiting yourself to manual online searches, take advantage of all job search options. This might include reaching out to companies or hiring managers in person, attending career fairs, searching social media or using a career counselling service. Use job search engines to find openings on job boards, company websites, professional associations and more. Sign up for daily or weekly job alerts by email.” Expand your horizon In an article ‘Six Essentials for Finding a New Job’, Julie Jansen, a career coach and author of ‘I Don’t Know What I Want, But I Know It’s Not This, recommends attending professional association meetings in a related field as well as those in your own specialty. For example, although your experience may be in marketing, add gatherings for finance executives or other fields in which you could apply your skills and experience to your regular schedule of ad and marketing group meetings. Know your worth Still in the above article, even during a downturn, it’s a mistake to settle for less just to get the job. Before accepting an offer, consult a salary survey or online salary calculator to make sure the package is competitive within your field. “It’s an outdated idea that you should take anything to get your foot in the door, as it could take you 10 years to get a decent salary.” Be available to interview According to the balance careers, it’s important to have the flexibility to be able to get there quickly when you’re invited for an out-of-town interview. Most employers interview and hire on a tight schedule, and the company may not be willing to wait. If you can’t get there when interviews are scheduled, you may not be considered for the job. Unless you’re being actively recruited, be prepared to pay your own travel expenses. You may want to line up the best modes of transportation in advance, so you’re prepared to book travel when you get an email or call. Don’t tell them what they want to hear Some career experts advise never to say something just because you think the interviewer wants to hear it. But instead, be honest about resume gaps—hiring managers understand that layoffs happen. Be honest about what you know and what you don’t know—they already accepted your resume based on your skills and experience. Now is the time to talk up that experience, not lie or embellish it.
