It does not matter where you are in your life; mid-career or seasoned, employed or unemployed, director or entry-level. We all need to know how to launch a successful job search in order to find our next job.
Before we describe our steps, we must first help you understand you! Think of yourself as a product or service. Every product or service you can think of has a brand behind it. Some of the world’s best brands are McDonald’s and Disney. You know exactly what they look, what they do, what they sell, etc. We can continue on, but you get the point.
Now, think of yourself. What is your brand? What do you people associate you with? Do people even know you in your industry?
These tips will help you to start thinking about your brand and if you follow our steps listed below, you will be able to increase your chances on landing your next interview. We discuss how to build your personal brand at length on our website, here.
- Get in the right mind-set
Just as we discussed earlier, you need to figure out your brand. Again, it does not matter where you are in life, what matters is that you know who you are and what you can offer. This will help you build your confidence and tell employers you know exactly what you are looking for. It does not matter what type of job you are looking for, every employer wants people who know what they want themselves. - Prep the resume
Your resume must have a clear indication of what you can bring to your future employer. It must answer the question, how will you solve my problem? Have your resume looked over by us to make sure it’s the best possible. - Network
Network is a big word as it can have many different meanings. We want to talk about networking strictly from the job search perspective.- In-person: Get out there! This is a tough one as many people are shy or introverted, but this truly is the best way to network. It is the original way to network. Find groups related to your job, a town/city get-together or meetings, religious organizations, library groups, career fairs, etc. There are endless places where you can go to meet other people. The point is get out there and meet new people.
- Social Media: The key to remember here is to be careful. Social media outlets are easy places to “let go”. Maybe have a debate with a friend over politics or post last weekend’s pictures. The point is during the job search everything must remain professional. These outlets can become strong job searching tools if used correctly. Do not give any reason for a hiring manager to not hire you because of something silly on your Facebook profile.
- LinkedIn: Yes, LinkedIn is social media, but in the job search it can be so much more. Think of it as the congregation of all hiring managers and recruiters. It’s where all the cool job seekers hang out! You must build a phenomenal profile that showcases your skills and expertise to show the hiring manager/recruiter, “here is what I can do for you”. It is LinkedIn that will allow you to join groups that are related to your job or industry and allow you to become that “expert”. The more active you become, the more people will take notice. The more people who take notice, the popularity of your “brand” will grow. Remember, you are a brand and you must have a strong reputation. How do you want people to know you?
- Friends and Family: The old saying, “It’s who you know”, is still true to this day. Your best advocates will always be your friends and family. When you begin your job search, tell them! Let them know exactly what you are looking for and ask them if they can connect you to any one they know. Read a previous article we have written on the importance of becoming a referral.
- Build a routine:
It is easy to become distracted in today’s world and lose track of what you were doing. With job searching, you must have a routine that you follow every day. Each routine is different to each person because it depends on where you are in your life. However, your routine could be that every day from 6:00-7:00 PM you will network with new people. 7:00-8:00 you will be on LinkedIn commenting in groups and staying on top of industry news. 8:00-10:00 will be dedicated to applying to jobs online.Again this routine can be however you want it to be, but it is important that whatever you do, you do it consistently.
- Stay true to yourself:
Seriously! Do not do anything that goes against your ethics and what you believe in. Do not lie or fabricate to make yourself look better. Do the right thing and stay true to who you are. Every employer is looking for genuine people.
Make your job search work for you and not against you. Our services at A Better Interview, LLC can help you improve your chances. We highly recommend that you take a look and if you have any questions, feel free to contact us. We will answer any questions you have.
