Searching for jobs in the current market has become trickier, highly competitive and more sophisticated. In order to succeed, you must be creative, smart and savvy. The days of responding to classified ads and sending generic resumes to every employer are gone – they can’t get you a good job in today’s world! Here are 10 tips to improve your searching skills and land you a dream job: 10. Don’t focus too much on classified ads The job market has greatly changed over the past few years. This has been attributed to a number of factors such as technology and increased population. As the jobs change, so does the recruitment process. Employers are no longer using the old HR practices to hire employees. Does this mean that you can’t get a job through the classifieds? No, it is still possible to get a job through online classified ads as well as those in local newspapers. But the truth is that you ought to cast your net wider. There are many places where you can search for jobs other than the classified. 9. Use an industry-based approach When hunting for a job, you need to narrow down your search. That’s why most search engines categorize job searches in terms of industries or sectors. But you should also understand that not all industries place their adverts on these popular online job sites. As such, visit the websites of every industry to get a glimpse of the job opportunities that they might be having. Most of them often post vacancies on the “career” section on their sites. 8. Keep your Resume updated You will definitely not put on the same attire you wore five years ago to a job interview. Why should you use the same resume you used back then? Chances are you have gained some experience or even done one or two courses. You need to update your resume with any experience or skill that you have acquired. 7. Keep in touch with the company of your dream Take your job search as a search for your soulmate. Show them that you are interested in working with them by emailing, calling or even physically visiting their offices. One of the best ways to keep tabs on a prospective employer is to closely follow up with them. Contact them by phone or email at least one week or two after submitting your resume. Nonetheless, you should exercise patience when interacting with prospective employers. Some will try to test your patience by not contacting you immediately. It is up to you to understand how the company works and leverage that. 6. Networking is key You have probably heard people saying that your network is your net worth. When it comes to searching for a job, your academic qualifications and previous work experience may be just be as important just as your network. There’s no better way to land your dream job than to network. Start by contacting your friends and trusted professionals within your field and let them know you are searching for a job. You can even give them a copy of your resume or personal business cards. They will definitely reach out if they come across a job opportunity that matches your credentials. 5. Avoid scams Scammers are everywhere. They know that there are many people desperately looking for jobs. You will come across adverts reading “enroll today and make $20,000 per month just browsing the internet!” These are scams that you should keep away from. It is true there are some online freelance jobs that pay. But you should carry out due diligence before sending your resume or engaging someone you don’t know online. 4. See yourself as a brand The job market today is very competitive. As such, you must stand out from the rest to increase your chances of getting hired. This includes doing things such as creating a website that highlights your talents, skills and work experience. This will make it easy for employers to quickly understand who you are. But you should always ensure the information is up to date. 3. Google yourself Most employers today use the internet to among other things search for information about their prospective employees. One study revealed that one in ten employers will refuse to hire an employee based on the information they find about them online. So you better search yourself on Google and see what kind of information is popping up. 2. Harness your creativity The other thing you can do to attract the attention of a potential employer is to demonstrate what you can do for them. Some employers are more interested in candidates who are savvy and can prove that they have what it takes to do certain things. Flowery words on your resume are not enough. Come up with something that will make the prospective employer curious about you. 1. Take rejection positively It is not easy to cope with job rejection but it is important for character growth and development. If you allow one or two job rejections to put you down, then you won’t gather enough strength to continue with your job search. Besides, rejection is an opportunity to reflect and revaluate your job search.
