Job searching can be stressful and overwhelming in today’s job market. If this is your first ever job hunting experience, you need to know that the journey may come with rejections, mistakes and disappointments. However, after every storm, there is a rainbow – all the efforts will bring you to happier news which is a job offer.
Landing a job is never easy and there are things that you need to prepare in advance to make sure the process goes according to plan. As someone who has gone through multiple job applications and interviews, there were mistakes I did that I wish someone had told me about earlier. But don’t worry, I won’t let you experience the same! Below are five tips that can save you:
1. The earlier, the better
Never delay your job searching preparation. There is no such thing as “I’ll do it later” because mistakes are prone to happen when less time is invested. This applies to building or revising your resume at the last minute and not having enough knowledge of what you’re looking for in your career.
Job hunting should be an active process and you don’t want to have any missed opportunities during the delayed process. Ideally, you should spare yourself one to three months to do all the preparation, however, the earlier you prepare and begin your job search, the better.
If you’re not sure when is the right time to apply for jobs, read our article here to help you decide.
2. Organise your job search
Most job portals now allow you to create job alerts on any job openings that match your skills or experiences. Therefore, if you’re planning to apply to different job roles or companies, consider making a list to visually compare and see which ones that you are more interested to apply to.
Take note of the company details and background, position name and job scopes and create a checklist of what needs to be done to ensure nothing is missed from the job-hunting process. Keep track of the companies you’ve already applied to and check whether you have received any follow-ups from them.
You can create a separate folder that contains all of your files such as the resume, cover letter, scanned documents and certificates. Trust me, this always comes in handy not only for your current job search but for your future ones as well.
3. Revise and simplify your resume
A resume carries the first impression that you give to your potential employer. It is a worded image that displays your background, experiences and skills.
If you think a longer resume gives you the opportunity to show off more of your qualifications, then you’re wrong. According to the Eye-Tracking Study conducted by Ladders shows that recruiters only have 7.4 seconds to look at each resume. They will likely toss your resume away if it is not being presented well with too many pages and details being put together.
Your resume must be short and concise, try to make it within one page if it’s possible. You don’t have to add in unnecessary information, only keywords and main points are enough to strengthen your profile as a job seeker.
Another important part is to ensure your resume stays updated all the time with the correct information, year and date as any misinformation can lead to a bad impression. Have a second and third pair of eyes to help recheck your resume so you won’t miss anything out.
4. Never blindly apply for jobs
One mistake you must not make is blindly applying for jobs when you’re not an obvious match for the roles. You must be thinking that applying for any job openings will make your life easier, but that’s not the case. The consequence of not knowing about the jobs you apply for can lead you to be clueless about what the job is about and whether or not it is within your expertise.
An effective way to avoid doing this is to only target employers and job positions that align with your skills and passion. This will give you a better chance of getting noticed and being called for an interview.
However, if you are more interested in applying for jobs outside of your qualification, you can refer to the tips we have shared in this article.
5. Leverage your LinkedIn profile
Based on LinkedIn Economic Graph 2021, there are 58 million companies registered on LinkedIn with more than 15 million job openings made available on the platform.
Unlike other social media accounts, LinkedIn is a platform that targets professional connections that is ideal for business networking. It has become a go-to platform for employers to find candidates who match the skills and experience to fit the job role they’re looking for. And as a job seeker, you can apply for jobs, promote yourself and even get approached by the recruiters themselves if they find your profile interesting.
If you know how to effectively use your LinkedIn account, you can increase your chance of getting hired via the platform. Here are some tips to leverage and create more visibility of your LinkedIn profile:
- Keep your profile updated
- Stay active
- Build your network
- Update your headline
- Be comprehensive about your skills and experience
- Optimize your LinkedIn profile
Job seeking is an exhausting process, but it’s also important for job seekers to go through every challenge so they can learn from experience. If you need more guidance on what you need to do before getting onboard on your job hunting journey, feel free to get in touch with us.
