With the recent economic downturn leaving many previously secure jobs in jeopardy, looking for work has now become a familiar pass time in North America. Job seeking is not a pleasant activity to engage in especially when one may have lost a secure job that was not only financially but emotionally secure as well. Job hunting is time consuming and often ends in a futile effort as most seekers fail to capitalize on some key aspects of the job market and what exactly hiring managers are looking for. In an effort to remedy this here’s our take on ten useful tips job seekers can put in to use in order to make their search more effective and generate the results they are aiming for.
1.Have a general resume on hand
A general resume should consist of all your work experience over the last 10 years or so, assuming you did not switch jobs frequently. Most general resumes are a balanced mix of education and work experience. The structure of the resume however is not job specific as you have not customized it to suit any particular job description. It’s important to have a resume that highlights your strengths as an employee. A profile which is essentially a summary highlighting the most important aspects of your resume should also be included in your resume. Ideally a general resume should be approximately two pages long.
2. Have a reference bank
Some hiring managers will ask for references if you are successful at an interview. These references will then have to attest to your skills and abilities as an employee. Therefore it’s crucial to have a wide variety of people that can attest to your varied skills and experiences. General references won’t cut it, you have to have references that can account for your suitability to the specific job to which you’ve applied. Thus it’s always better to have a handful of individuals that you can ask to recommend you as opposed to just two or three. Make sure you seek out job specific references.
3. Be wary of online job postings
Although many workplaces and even placement agencies now post vacancies online applying online can be a tedious and rather discouraging process. Many times job seekers get discouraged applying to online jobs as the vast majority does not receive a response let alone a favorable one. This is because many times companies post jobs online in order to demonstrate that the information regarding the vacancy was available to the public, they’re simply going through the motions. Often times they’ve already selected a candidate for the position before it’s even posted, and this candidate may be an existing employee chosen through internal postings or a contact of someone working in the firm. Employers also inhibit job seeker success by using gate keeping software such as Taleo which automatically eliminates candidates that do not have specific key words (chosen by the employer) on their resume. They may be the ideal candidate for the job but never get through thanks to Taleo’s selective and tedious application process.
4. Don’t discount networking
Networking is a valuable tool job seekers can use to render their search more effective. More than 65% of jobs are found through networking and some positions are not even posted externally. This is where networking and access to private information comes in to play. When you have a contact on the inside of an organization you will have access to valuable information such as upcoming vacancies and possible internal postings. As stated in point # 3 most online postings are filled before they are even posted for 24hours. Building an effective network is one of the most helpful things when you’re looking for work. As a job seeker you should aim to attend local networking events and look to expand your network ( Further Reading : Building an Effective Network for more networking tips).
5. Professional Voicemail
Employers may opt to call you on the phone with news about an interview rather than emailing you, thus having a running voicemail system on your cell phone and home phone is essential. If your home phone has an answering machine message that is more casual opt to give out only your cell phone as a means of contacting you. Make sure you record a professional voicemail message stating your name and asking callers to leave their name, number and informing them that you will follow up on any missed calls. When giving out your cell phone you should also be wary of any ring backs, or ring in tones. Although they may be amusing to your friends, hiring managers will not look favorably upon a candidate that has their favorite song whatever genre it may be as a ring in tone as opposed to the traditional ring.
6. Professional email address
Email is another means of employers to contact you. When applying to online postings or through a company website you will need an email address to use when corresponding with employers. When job hunting a clear conservative email address is key. Your email address should consist of yourname@gmail.com. We recommend using Gmail over Hotmail as it has a more professional sound to it. If your name is already used in an email address we suggest using variations such as firstname.lastname@gmail.com . Avoid using numbers and characters as this is unprofessional. You could even opt for a shorter form of your name such as Rob instead of Robert if your name is already taken.
7. Make use of agencies
Although job agencies are a dime a dozen and promise unrealistic job placements they may have some interesting tips and advice to offer. As a job seeker you should not rely solely on agencies to find work, but you can make use of their resources which may include career counseling and tips on resume writing and cover letter drafting. Signing up with a placement agency also gives you more exposure as you can apply to many online jobs, even if they are predetermined, your resume still gets to the hiring manager and he/she may see something they like. It’s also beneficial to sign up with many agencies as opposed to just one as this will increase your visibility in the job market.
8. Create a LinkedIn ProfileLinkedIn is a great professional networking tool. It provides potential employers and current connections with a snapshot of your resume and experience. The tool also allows co-workers or clients to recommend you which aids in building credibility and marketing your personal brand. Creating a profile and adding professional contacts to LinkedIn vs. Facebook is a great idea as you cannot post personal photos etc on LinkedIn. Always separate your professional and personal life and aim to keep professional profile with your co-workers/boss etc. Some companies even recruit using LinkedIn so it’s a good idea to keep an updated profile and add a picture as well so recruiters can associate a face to your name. This also makes you more marketable to potential employers.
9. Are you available?
Availability is one of the key aspects of how employable/ marketable a candidate is. Even top employment agencies will look for candidates that are available immediately vs. ones that are currently employed and looking for a change of career etc. In order to secure a job you are interviewing for you need to be available to start within the employers’ desired time frame. Do not make the mistake of interviewing for jobs for which you are not immediately available. This may sound harsh but in the professional world time is money and employers very seldom hold positions just for one candidate that they may seem to like. Often times there are many candidates that are equally qualified with similar experience and availability just might be the determining factor.
Availability is one of the key aspects of how employable/ marketable a candidate is. Even top employment agencies will look for candidates that are available immediately vs. ones that are currently employed and looking for a change of career etc. In order to secure a job you are interviewing for you need to be available to start within the employers’ desired time frame. Do not make the mistake of interviewing for jobs for which you are not immediately available. This may sound harsh but in the professional world time is money and employers very seldom hold positions just for one candidate that they may seem to like. Often times there are many candidates that are equally qualified with similar experience and availability just might be the determining factor.
10. Follow up
In the age of online job postings some may feel that following up on an application is a thing of the past. On the contrary, following up can bring a hiring manager’s attention back to your resume. Follow ups should be done via phone or email about 48 hours after submitting your resume. If the job has a closing date it might be best to follow up the day after the posting closes. In any case it’s good to be persistent but not desperate calling twice and leaving a message is deemed acceptable, however messaging, emailing, and calling every day is not. Just use your common sense. If the ad specifically says no phone calls, there’s a good chance the employer already has someone in mind for the job and is placing the ad just to be “transparent and fair”.
In the age of online job postings some may feel that following up on an application is a thing of the past. On the contrary, following up can bring a hiring manager’s attention back to your resume. Follow ups should be done via phone or email about 48 hours after submitting your resume. If the job has a closing date it might be best to follow up the day after the posting closes. In any case it’s good to be persistent but not desperate calling twice and leaving a message is deemed acceptable, however messaging, emailing, and calling every day is not. Just use your common sense. If the ad specifically says no phone calls, there’s a good chance the employer already has someone in mind for the job and is placing the ad just to be “transparent and fair”.
Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting
