The best strategies for a successful job search Search for the right job. Make sure companies find you. Get your dream company to notice you. Customize your resume and cover letter.
To do this well, start with a thorough self-assessment that includes exploring your work and school history, military service, hobbies, volunteer activities, ambitions, preferred lifestyle, values and needs. From this review, determine which occupations best fit your personality style and then set appropriate job search goals. If you find this step difficult, seek the help of a professional counsellor. Studies have shown that the most effective job search strategy for any field is networking.
Post an updated resume on several job search engines.
Searching
job search engines is one of the most popular job search strategies, but it should never be the only one you use. Networking is simply making connections with people you know or people you know, and the people they know, to get information. Be careful not to approach networking with a "What can you do for me?" attitude.Each new relationship should be mutually beneficial. Make a habit of meeting new people at every professional event you attend. Keep in touch with them by email or on social media. Your network will continue to grow.
A career or job fair is an organized event that gives you the opportunity to talk face-to-face with recruiters and hiring managers about your job opportunities. Some companies attend job fairs even when there are no vacancies, to raise awareness of their company as a potential employer. You can regularly check their websites to see if there are future vacancies. You can locate job fairs in your area by searching the Internet for job fairs with the name of your city and state.
Some companies post job openings on their own website, rather than on search engines. Make a list of 5-10 (or more) companies you would like to work for. Some companies hire recruitment agencies to help them find candidates for open positions. Popular recruitment agencies include Kelly Services, Robert Half and ManPower.
Search the Internet for other recruitment agencies in your area. Employment agencies are a very effective job search strategy, but they should not be the only one. For younger or less experienced people, networking is also the most fruitful job search method and most of a job seeker's time should be devoted to this activity. To network effectively, or to use any job search strategy successfully, you must first be able to define what you want.
NETWORKING Networking is the most effective way to learn about careers and, ultimately, to get a job. Most job seekers focus on networking with colleagues and people in their industry, but forget to talk to other people in their lives. Prepare your CV and portfolio of achievements, organize a support group of friends and family to help you with your job search, and you're ready to go. If you can name the type of position, work environment and organizational culture you aspire to, your job search strategies will be focused and your contacts will be able to share information relevant to your goal.
Many colleges and universities have career guidance centers, which include career counselling services and job leads. Although you should bring copies of your resume to a job fair, these days it is unusual for an employer to take a copy of your resume with them. INTERNET JOBS If you spend more than three hours a week applying for jobs on the Internet (this does not include time spent on the Internet doing research), you are not conducting an effective job search. While networking is always a useful job search strategy, to make it more effective be sure to look at industry events and professional associations that most closely match your skills.
It is advisable to follow up on your job application once a reasonable period of time has passed and you have not heard back from the employer. EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT Executive recruiters, also known as headhunters, can be an excellent source of job leads. Because job hunting is rarely an everyday task, even the most confident creative candidate can get a little rusty. Job seekers often forget to build relationships with people before submitting their applications.
If you need guidance on what keywords to use, search for vacancies in your field and identify the keywords used by those companies.
