There are a lot of jobs out there. You know that. But so do the thousands of other job seekers that are trying to get those jobs. In order to pull out ahead of the pack, you need to take your job search strategy from passive to proactive.
For many people, when it is time to look for a job that means they dust off the old CV, turn on the computer, and spend hours scrolling through job boards and putting in for the ones that sound even remotely similar to their abilities. Then, they wait…
According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, on average, it can take approximately 30 weeks to find a job. That means that the job search tactics are not working. A worthy candidate for employment cannot passively search for work with a company. They need to make changes in order to become seen as a valuable asset in the job market.
What can you do to improve your job search and find yourself higher on the stack of resumes? Here are three steps to take in job hunting to boost your chances:
Use the Job Boards for Research
As soon as a job listing hits, the company is flooded with hundreds of respondents. Your own resume will just be buried until the HR team gets around to sifting through them. This can take months.
Instead, use those job boards to do some research about those companies. Check out all of the social networks that are tied to the company. From there, you can learn about the culture of the brand, the kinds of people they look for, who the top-level people are in the company, and what you might be able to offer.
Find out what you can about the company, its people, products, and services so that you are ready to talk to the people who bring it all together. Knowing facts about the company is more impressive than having a nice font on your resume.
Look for the Key Decision Makers
Networking is one of the most valuable tools in getting your foot in the door. Go to the company’s web site and learn who the senior-level executives are in the company. These are the people whose voices are heard and they can be important people in your job search.
Find out who you need to know. Search for them on Google and LinkedIn. Then, find ways to make connections. Are they going to be at a conference? Do they go to networking luncheons? Do what you can to make their acquaintance and be ready to show them that you would be an asset.
Look for the Unknown Job Market
You can only get so far in a job search. There are a finite number of postings out there that match your qualifications. What do you do next? Look for the job postings that aren’t out there.
Research companies that you are interested in and look for what their needs are. Maybe they are a growing startup that has yet to build a marketing team. They may be a large, established company looking to change directions. Other businesses may have a need that they don’t know about yet. There may be jobs that need to be filled that the HR team just hasn’t posted yet.
Just because there are no job openings listed for that company does not mean that they are not in need of what you can bring to the table. Make contact and speak to the people who make the decisions. If they can use you, they will find a way to get you.