As the weather starts to change and fall foliage begins to emerge, it’s clear that the end of the year is quickly drawing near. Have you been displaced from your previous position due to the coronavirus pandemic? Are you in search of a new role to get you back on your feet? As companies begin hiring before the start of Q1 2021, our team at Viaduct is here to lend a hand and boost your job-seeking success. By using these top 7 tips, we’ll help you end the year on a high note.
1. Begin targeting specific companies
Have you ever heard the saying, “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today”? The same can be said about your job search! By composing with a list of organizations that match up with your career aspirations and align with your skills and abilities, you’ll be able to more easily make initial introductions. Getting in touch with key HR or TA stakeholders at each company will enable you to explore employment opportunities once they become available. Doing your part to establish strong relationships with organizational employees will pay dividends down the road.
2. Leverage recruiters and their networks
If you find yourself out of work and looking for a new position, recruiters can quickly become your best friend. Making inroads with local recruitment specialists will help you to expand your reach and allow you to consider a wider array of suitable job positions. Whether you’re sending a personalized message to a recruiter on LinkedIn or emailing them a copy of your resume, forming these early connections can be pivotal to the success of your job search.
3. Devote time to improving up your resume and LinkedIn page
To make sure your application stands out from the rest of the pack, sprucing up your resume and LinkedIn profiles is a must. Instead of simply listing your job title, provide ample detail around your previous professional experience and on-the-job responsibilities. Your goal should be to clearly express what you’re looking for in your next opportunity so that talent acquisition professionals and recruiters can more easily match your profile to available jobs. By leveraging an orderly resume and a descriptive LinkedIn page, you’ll instantly improve your odds of landing a position that aligns with your interests.
4. Be open to exploratory conversations
I’ll let you in on a little secret: recruiters love talking with potential candidates. If you’re contacted by a recruitment specialist, never turn down the opportunity to speak with them. These exploratory conversations will help you to develop a relationship with talent acquisition experts while giving you a sense of the types of opportunities that are available on the market. Remember: you never know how a recruiter can help you down the road!
5. Brush up on your interview skills
We all know that practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to interviewing. To shore up on your interview skills, devote ample time to researching common interview questions online. The most important part? Rehearse your responses to them out loud. You can even conduct a mock interview Q&A with a friend or family member to further prepare yourself for what lies ahead.
6. Be flexible
As you explore the employment market in search of your next job, don’t limit yourself by focusing on opportunities in one particular position or department. Even though you might not be in the same role as before, that doesn’t mean you can’t make an impact on behalf of your new organization. The more open you are to accepting new opportunities, the more successful your job search will ultimately be.
7. Be patient
Right now, talent acquisition teams—like many other departments—are understaffed and overworked. Both HR professionals and TA specialists have been bombarded with applications from job candidates just like you. Be patient with these recruiters, even if they don’t follow-up with you on a daily basis. By consistently badgering these key decision-makers, you could ultimately end up hindering your chances of finding a new opportunity.
Summary
I hope that these tips can work to your advantage as you scour the job market for your next employment opportunity. Don’t grow discouraged if things fail to move as quickly as you’d like—the holidays always prove to be a hectic time of the year for most organizations, even without the prevalence of an ongoing pandemic. My ultimate advice to you is to set realistic expectations and remain confident in yourself and your abilities. With a positive mindset, anything is possible!