Here at Ad-VANCE, we often hear how stressed out people have become by their search for employment. With so many unemployed workers and so few jobs, it is bound to get frustrating and stressful for many! Properly managing your job search can significantly aid in reducing some of that anxiety. Here are 12 pointers that the Ad-VANCE staff has compiled to help you maximize your job search efforts and cut down on some of the frustration & stress involved in the seemingly un-ending search for a job:
#12 – Be open to staffing organizations and temporary assignments. Most of us here in the Ad-VANCE office got our start with the company through a temporary assignment. Being open to temp assignments opened doors we didn’t even know existed. We often see people that would rather be unemployed than work a temporary position. More often than not, temporary assignments will turn into something permanent … but you’ve got to first be open to the idea of “temp.”
#11 – Be Prepared! This is a cliche statement, but you must have your resume properly prepared and be prepared for any interview you go on.
#10 – Keep all information on your resume current! More often than not, we run into phone numbers or e-mail addresses that have been changed but are still provided on the resume. How can you possibly expect an employer to call you for a job if you’re not providing correct contact information? Proofread, Proofread, Proofread your resume!!
#9 – Don’t take rejection personally. With the current ratio of open positions to qualified applicants, it is almost inevitable that you will be passed over at one time or another for a position; it may even be a position you really want. Know that this happens to everyone, keep your head up, and move on…
#8 – Create an e-mail account strictly for your job search. This e-mail address should be professional. This way, you are not weeding through your 100 daily e-mails for replies from employers and there is no worrying about whether a reply was possibly overlooked – All replies can be easily managed.
#7 – Treat your job search like its a job. Use all of the skills you’ve gained through your previous employment to aid you in your job search. Show potential employers (and yourself) that you are diligent, hard-working, good at communicating, and most importantly, good at self-management.
#6 – Be conscientious of your social media accounts. More and more frequently, employers will get their first impression of you from your social media accounts. It has become very easy for an employer to look at your Facebook page in order to get a feel for you. It is highly reccomended that if you are searching for a job, you keep your social media accounts professional (this means profile pictures, likes and dislikes, posts, etc.)
#5 – Accept that you may have to lower your standards. So you just got laid off from a position where you worked 4 days a week and made $60,000 a year. In this tough economy, many employers are rubbing pennies together and trying to stay afloat. Many simply cannot afford to pay as much as they used to, or they may demand much more out of their employees. It is possible that the only open jobs in that same field are paying $45,000 a year and requiring you to work 5 days a week. Having a more open mind will open many more doors!
#4 – Communicate Effectively. Don’t send a resume without some kind of message, and don’t refer to the position you’re applying to as “the job.” It can certainly be daunting to write a blurb for every job you apply for, but at least put the position you’re applying for in the e-mail title or on the job application. The lack of indication of which position you’re interested in can (and usually will) cause your resume/application to be overlooked. Also, USE PROPER GRAMMAR!!
#3 – Follow Up! Without being pushy or annoying, follow-up on those application & resume submittals which you really feel good about. With the 100’s of resumes received by hiring authorities, it is possible that yours could be overlooked or not responded to in a timely manner(or at all.) If you feel that you’re truly qualified for the job, it is perfectly okay to call or e-mail to follow-up on the position, just don’t be too pushy.
#2 – Only apply to positions which you have the experience, education, or necessary skills for. After spending the majority of my days funneling through resumes, I can tell you that without any relevant experience, education, or skills, employers are just not going to consider you. If all of you experience is in sales, don’t apply to an engineering position and expect a reply. If an employer says that a Bachelor of Science degree is required, and you only have a high school diploma, don’t apply and expect a response. Noting the necessary requirements before applying can prevent you from wasting time applying to jobs that you just simply are not qualified for. Save your energy for those jobs you know you may be considered for.
#1 – DON’T GIVE UP! We know how grueling the job search process can be, especially after 9, 10, & 11 months of searching! You simply will not find a job unless you put forth the effort. It is highly unlikely that the perfect job will just fall right into your lap… Be smart, use the above tips, and don’t give up!