8 Tips To Improve Your Job Search This Year

By Relebohile Sera

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Photo by Ruthson Zimmerman on Unsplash

It is the beginning of yet another new year, filled with new opportunities and challenges. Whether you are thinking of finding a new job or considering a career change to another field, the start of the year is a perfect time to improve your search.

Some may have left the job hunting spirit to burn with the festive and are at a crossroad and finding it hard to revitalize their passion. Here are a few tips to follow to make the best of your job search this year.

 

Reflect

Your job search may have been successful, or not, in the previous year. Despite this, weigh in on what you did or didn’t do right. Look for lessons learned in the previous year to apply in this new year.

Did you do things as planned? Did you prepare enough for your interview? Did you thoroughly go through your documents before sending them out? Going over your past mistakes will help you avoid them this year and put you at a higher advantage of getting that dream job.

 

Review your Curriculum Vitae

Your CV may not be attracting the right attention and it could also be time to buff it up a bit. Ask someone to critique your resume and always be open to suggestions. You can also get help from CV Evaluation.

It is also quite important to ensure that you name your CV with your actual name for online applications, not “My Curriculum Vitae.” You would be shocked at how many job seekers do not do this and then wonder why they never hear back from employers.

 

Find the Right Jobs

Draw up a list of companies you would like to work for and list all the positions, given your experience and educational background, you feel best suit you. Find out the right people to contact and then get all your documentation ready and apply directly to the company outlining your qualifications and ambitions for the future.

You might be in luck; instead of the company posting out job vacancies, they may decide to sift through all applications on their hands and stumble across yours.

 

Increase Your Professional Visibility

You can increase your professional visibility using LinkedIn. It is your best defense against bad Google search results because Google typically places LinkedIn at, or very near, the top of any search on the name of a person. Consider your LinkedIn profile as your public job-seeker persona.

There are local companies that give an option to either apply through LinkedIn or directly to them. What better time than now to update that LinkedIn profile, or better yet create one if you don’t have it already. The good news is that you don’t need to pay for a basic LinkedIn account which provides everything you need for your job search.

 

Network

Research shows that less than 10% of people who respond to posts on job boards actually do get hired. People are hired by people they know so it’s up to you to make an effort and get out there and get known. Utilize your old college/university connections who may be working in companies or industries that you are interested in.

They can offer advice and support as well as help connect you to additional opportunities. You can also use social media in strategic ways and find companies or organizations that you are interested in. Follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn, comment appropriately, look out for tweets or job announcements and follow up diligently. You may never know what you find.

 

Refresh Your Skills

There’s nothing like learning something new to open up your mind to new ways of thinking and to open up your career to new pathways. Consider taking courses that offer an opportunity to learn a completely new skill, or try deepening a skill set that you already own.

This may get you ahead of most of your competition and put you at a better advantage of getting that job that you really want. Also don’t forget about sharpening your soft skills to make yourself even more marketable.

 

Prepare Well for Interviews

If you have problems with interviews, it is possible to get coaching but often that is not an affordable option. Read as much as you can about interview techniques; common interview mistakes to avoid, common interview questions and prepare accordingly.

This will help build your confidence and get you comfortable to being interviewed and answering the questions well and timely.

 

Be Patient

Keep up your energy, determination and positive attitude. Job searching can be a very humbling experience but no one wants to hire someone who appears frustrated and desperate.

Demonstrating your genuine interest and enthusiasm is key, but remember sometimes finding the perfect job can take a while. Hang in there and keep your spirits up, the right job is around the corner.

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