When it comes to job hunting, there’s a lot of advice out there. And let’s be honest, it can all be a little overwhelming. Do you have to send a thank you note? How should you really dress for an interview? What’s the trick to staying positive during a tough job search?
Luckily for you, we’ve tapped our decades of staffing experience to come up with the Job Hunter’s Top Ten List. Here’s our idea of the ten most important things to do when job hunting. Enjoy!
1. Network. Put your social networks to work for you. If your job search isn’t confidential, share that you are looking for new opportunities, and give a few specifics about what you are targeting. If you are trying to be discreet, contact key people through private messaging. Attend local events or Meetups, join professional associations, and volunteer.
2. Update your LinkedIn profile. Add your most recent position, latest skills, training, and volunteer work. Join new groups that are relevant to your job interests and if possible, indicate on your profile that you are open to new employment opportunities.
3. Proofread your resume. This one should go without saying, but it still has an important place on our list. Proof for punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors, and then give your resume to a friend and ask him/her to do the same.
4. Practice for your interview. Practice answering basic interview questions and, most importantly, those questions that intimidate you. In general, keep your answers under two minutes, and practice until you are comfortable answering even the “scary” ones.
5. Dress the part. A good rule of thumb is to dress a little “better” than the standard dress code for the organization. It’s usually better to be a little over-dressed than too casual.
6. Listen. Be an active listener during your interview. It’s easy to ramble nervously, or be so preoccupied with your answers that you stop listening. Listen fully to each question, then take a moment to formulate a brief answer. Ask clarifying questions as needed, but listen more than you talk.
7. Send a thank you note. Email or send a card, but do it.
8. Improve your skills. Now is the time to take that online course that looks interesting, or volunteer in a role where you can learn something new.
9. Take care of yourself. Your job search is a top priority, but it can’t be your only priority. Try to set aside specific times to work on job hunting, and don’t go outside of those hours. Stay positive, focused, and motivated, by taking some time for yourself every day.
10. Don’t give up! Job hunting is stressful, and can be discouraging. Celebrate small successes, be realistic, and believe in yourself so that others will too.