Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.
Looking for a Job can be challenging. With a saturated market and many people vying for the same position, it can be hard to set yourself apart.
However, you might be standing in your own way and not even know it. There are some things you should definitely do when you’re waist-deep in the search and about to start treading water.
We scoured job boards to see what employers and job seekers had to say about getting it right.
1. Make Your Resume Stand Out
One of the first things, if not the first thing the hiring company sees, is your resume. If it’s out of date, missing critical information, or has significant grammar or spelling errors, it’s going in the trash.
In addition to doing a grammar and spelling check on your resume, make sure you stand out by dressing it up for the job at hand. Position your skills and experience for that particular role upfront. You have about 15 seconds to make an impression. Make it count.
2. Use Social Media
Social media, love it or hate it, is where it’s at today. And that means recruiters are going there, too.
That doesn’t mean you have to have a social media presence. It means you should know that this is where employers place many of their ads, so it may be worth investigating for opportunities.
3. Be Flexible, But Know Your Boundaries
If you’re in the lurch when it comes to the job search, it can be tempting to take whatever is offered. But don’t get caught up in this trap. Be flexible, absolutely. For example, being open to working some evenings or the occasional weekend if need be.
However, you should also respect the need for work-life balance and the fact that no job is worth giving up all of your time for.
4. Network
In today’s day and age, you need to be willing to network. LinkedIn actually makes this pretty easy to do. You can connect with people you’ve worked with who can back your experience or reach out to people in the same industry. You can also follow recruiters.
But you can also network in person. Perhaps you have family or friends who work closely with people who are always looking to hire. Take advantage of the connections you might not even know you have.
5. Display Your Skills
One of the things you need to do when trying to land a job is put your skills on display. For example, if you’re a writer looking for freelance work, create a basic website as a portfolio that showcases your writing skills.
If you’ve created software, emphasize that in your application. Employers are looking for those who stand out.
6. Research the Company
Before you consider applying to a company, you should absolutely research it beforehand. This will tell you a few things, such as how long the company has been in operation, what it tends to pay its employees, and its outlook on work-life balance and giving people time off.
Turn to sites like Glassdoor to read employee reviews. A company cannot manipulate these, so most of them are accurate. If the values don’t align with yours, then you’re better off not applying. It’s a recipe for unhappiness.
7. Know Your Worth
As an employee, you need to know your worth. This doesn’t just equate to finances, though salary is very important. After all, the goal of a job is to ensure you make enough to pay your bills and support yourself and a family, if applicable.
Know your skill set and what you’re capable of doing. Don’t take a lower-level job with no opportunities for growth if you already have extensive expertise in an area, for example.
8. Meet the Qualifications
Some people will just apply to any job on the market without actually taking the time to review whether they meet the qualifications. Now, if you’re reading a job description and you have, say, eight out of ten of the qualifications, go ahead and send in your resume.
But if you have half or fewer of the qualifications, please save yourself and the company time.
9. Put Your Best Self Forward
In a saturated job market, you must put your best self forward. That means showing up on time for an interview, being properly dressed, and all. Exude confidence. If you don’t have confidence, fake it ’til you make it. It’s a winning strategy.
The same applies to interviews held over video conference. Make sure you look presentable. Nobody cares if you’re wearing only your underwear from the bottom down, but you better look all business from the waist up.
10. Learn New Skills
If you’re really struggling to land an interview, let alone a job, it might be time to go back to the drawing board. Learn some new skills. If your technological skills are outdated, for example, update them. With YouTube videos and social media hacks, it won’t take long.
Employers look for learning and growth, so make sure you position yourself as someone willing to go the extra mile.
15 Surprising “Weaknesses” Employers Want to Hear About in Job Interviews
Interviewers are tired of hearing the same responses over and over again. They want to hear something original. Employers also want to know legitimate ways that candidates can improve their work. Sometimes, shedding some light on an improvable weakness or two can make all the difference.
41 Shocking Ways You’re Throwing Money Down the Drain
There are many ways to increase the money in your bank account. Many people start by looking at ways to make more money. And, of course, that is a great solution. But it isn’t always the easiest. A better, easier way may be to examine your spending habits. By tracking your spending and seeing where every dollar goes, you’ll likely find several instances of spending money you don’t have to. It could be little things that add up or recurring monthly expenses that are an utter waste of money.
Once you eliminate your bad spending habits, that money can go toward your emergency fund, paying off debt, or other essential things. Here are the 41 biggest wastes of money to look out for:
16 Effective Techniques for Managing Work Stress
United States workers are experiencing record levels of workplace stress, and the American Institute of Stress (AIS) outlines the impact on workers’ wellness in a recent ComPsych survey. The outlook isn’t good — 62% of workers cited tensions due to a lack of autonomy or extreme tiredness. Moreover, work priorities are taking over citizens’ lives, with the sources of anxiety stemming from workload, coworkers, and performance improvements.
