Let’s face it, job searching these days is not easy! It can be a long, arduous, frustrating, and even demoralizing process: filling out online applications, taking assessments and/or personality tests, submitting references and resumes oftentimes never hearing back from anyone.

Much of the job search process can be outside of your control, however, there are some steps that are in your control to make the job search process easier and less stressful, and that will hopefully land you multiple job offers!

1. First and foremost, make sure your resume is in top form. Although this can be the hardest part of your job search, it is paramount that your resume reflects all that you have done and all that you can do! This is your one chance to shine before getting in front of recruiters and hiring managers. Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors and make sure the dates of your previous employment experiences are accurate. Give a full (but succinct) picture of what you did in an 8-hour day. When possible, use action words and real figures that demonstrate how you contributed to the success of that organization/department and/or you improved and streamlined processes.
2. Be realistic. Only apply to jobs that are relevant to your skills/background and experience. Keep a record of what jobs and companies you have applied to. Use our free job search tracker tool to keep a record of jobs you’ve applied to, organizations you’re interested in, conversations with an employer, or any other type of communication that needs to be coordinated. Download your tracker here.
   

3. Email address. It seems that often these days, people have more than one email address. To keep things simple, only use one email for your job search, and make sure you monitor it several times a day. Getting back to hiring managers/recruiters quickly is essential to beat out the competition. Additionally, ensure that the email address “nickname” that appears on the recipient’s end is professional – your first/last name makes the most sense.

4. Telephone number. This sounds silly to have to say, but if you are job searching and you don’t currently have a job, pick up the phone! Also, make sure that you have your voicemail set up properly, and check and delete your voice messages regularly so that a hiring manager can leave you a message if you aren’t able to pick up the phone when they call. As a recruiter, I can tell you firsthand that it sets a bad tone when someone has applied for a job, but you try calling them and their phone isn’t working, or their mailbox is full. If you need to leave a professional voicemail to a recruiter, check out these tips before doing so.

5. Interview. Again, this is your chance to shine in front of the hiring manager/recruiter. So be prepared! Know the job you are interviewing for, do your research on the company, and have questions crafted. If it is an in-person or video interview, dress professionally, be eager, energetic, and show enthusiasm.

6. Send a thank you note and follow up. Sending a thank you email after the interview can really set you apart from other job seekers, and it can even influence hiring decisions. When you send a well-thought-out thank-you note and follow-up, you signal your continued interest, solidifying a positive impression with the interviewer and/or recruiter.

It can be stressful and take time to find the right role for YOU. Take control of what you can along the way. Follow the tips above, to make the job search process just that much easier on yourself with higher odds of landing an offer in the end.

 

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