Since we have already established most of our waking hours are spent at work, if the job you have is not the right one, it means most of your time is spent unhappy, or at the very least unfulfilling. While many Americans make resolutions in the new year to get healthy, hit the gym, or make positive changes in their lives, perhaps the first thing to resolve in our lives is whether we are happy and well compensated in the job that we currently hold. If the answer is no, or if you are even questioning what is out there, there’s no time like NOW to get that ball rolling. The following are positive steps you should take in your move towards successful job hunting.
Update that resume-electronically AND in paper.
Begin with a printed version and read your resume from the bottom up. This way you can remove older positions that are no longer relevant as well as update the job skills that are pertinent to the one that you seek. This is especially true if you are more than 10 years into your career. Cleaning up your grammar, punctuation, and spelling is a must before sending anything out that might be seen by professionals on in charge of filling these positions. Have someone else review this all-important document before you print anything on the “good” stationary to save yourself the aggravation of wasting expensive paper.
Get with the times-use LinkedIn
This is a must in todays job markets. More than any other form of social media, LinkedIn is designed to be utilized by professionals to find jobs, fill positions, and make connections. Fill out the profile in its entirety to receive the maximum benefits of the service and reach out to connect to as many contacts as possible within your chosen profession. This also allows you to link up with old references and previous coworkers who you may have fallen out of touch with to widen your community. An old coworker may have information about job postings with whatever company he or she is currently working at, preferably within your chosen job field. Regardless, the more contacts you have, the more potential there is for a meaningful employment connection being achieved through a LinkedIn group or through messaging and recommendations.
Brush up on interview and speaking skills
Job placement firms can be invaluable when it comes to this. Between offering skills tests, and providing or recommending skills courseware, this step is a must have when it comes to locking down that job when every other criterion fails to make that decision. Let’s put it this way…if employers have narrowed down applicants to a select few with identical qualifications on paper, the deciding factor will be who gives the better interview. Follow all those little steps we mentioned in earlier blogs to get yourself prepped and ready before the interview. Work on your listening skills, so that you can model your own demeaner after that of the interviewer(s). This last one is perhaps the most critical way to find your footing and relax during this stressful first encounter. Using big words and spouting useless information does you no benefit, when what you are really looking for is a sort of connection that says, “We are on the same wavelength. Hiring me is a no brainer”.
