Searching for a new career is more challenging than we’d initially think, regardless of whether you’re looking for a similar role to your current or previous one or something completely different. Job hunting takes a certain degree of skill, and you need to make as much of an impression on potential employers as your resume. Doing so will make you stand out from other applicants and show employers that you’re a worthy candidate for the role.
However, the job market is incredibly competitive, and it can be tough to prove yourself when multiple people are vying for the same position as you. So, we’ve created this article outlining several job-hunting suggestions for those looking for a new career to help you achieve your dream career.
Outline Your Career Goals
If you’re entirely new to the job market or looking to switch careers, it’s advantageous for you to clearly understand the type of career you’d like to have. Even if you’re not sure which job you’d like exactly, just figuring out which business sector you’d like to operate within can help you whittle applications down and help you keep your focus while job hunting.
Once you’ve outlined your career goals, you can work on making sure that your dreams are realistic and achievable, then start to make plans on how to accomplish them, plus what skills or qualifications you’ll need to succeed. Outlining your career goals, what you’ll need to achieve them, and how to help you focus your job search on positions you’re interested in and get you closer to your dream career.
Utilise Job Search Tools
Give yourself the best chance possible in this challenging market by continuously utilising job search tools and job advertisement sites. Although it’s equally as important not to limit yourself solely to online applications and make sure that you approach companies directly, too, as online applications can easily be overlooked or mistakenly discarded, which is a lot harder to do in person.
Instead of solely relying on online job resources, try to attend networking events or career fairs, ask your friends and family for connections or suggestions. If you’re struggling, you could approach a career counsellor or coach who will be able to point you in the right direction. Consider looking at job vacancies on social media and other job sites to assist you in your search.
From a business perspective, companies could post their job listing across multiple sites, to help improve their reachability. Hiring People have this job advertising platform that is useful for accessing multiple job boards across different industries and locations. If you’re a manager looking to fill a position, then this will be a great place to start, as you can find more talented employees.
Allocate Time To Job Search
Another suggestion to make job hunting easier is allocating time to spend job searching. We recommend planning out your day ahead and scheduling a few hours a day out of it to dedicate to job searching. Even if it’s spending your lunch break scrolling through and saving adverts that appeal to you, it’s worthwhile to check job search sites routinely for any new listings; otherwise, you could end up missing out on an exciting opportunity.
You may save yourself more time during your job search if you turn on job search notifications or email alerts so that you get personalised adverts sent directly to your inbox that you can peruse at your leisure.
Make Sure You’re Prepared
Whenever you sit down to start job searching, make sure that you’re prepared first and foremost. There’s not much point in scrolling through and saving all these job adverts if you haven’t updated your CV or covering letter in about three years. Ensure that you collate all your relevant information into an organised folder so that it’s always accessible and that you update it before you apply to any position.
This includes updating any references, contact information etc. you could also use the internet to find examples of CV’s, covering letters and a job description template to get a better idea of how to present yours and make it more polished. Alternatively, you could work alongside a friend, family member or a career counsellor to create your CV and covering letter who will be able to offer any advice and proofread it for you. You might also want to consider updating any profiles that you may or may not have on job search websites or networking ones, as potential employers can reach out to you through these as well.
Research Companies
Once you’ve outlined which industry you wish to have a career in, it might also be worthwhile for you to research some companies within the sector so that you can look out for them while job searching and get an idea of what qualifications you’ll need to be successful upon application. Not only can it give you an insight into their hiring practices, but you can also find out the job description, estimated salary, benefits, work environment etc. Doing so will give you valuable information that you can use to impress hiring managers should you get invited for an interview.
