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5 Tips to Improve Your Job Search
1. Don’t waste too much time on the large job search engines like CareerBuilder.com or Monster.com. Employers who post here are overwhelmed with responses, so chances are they’re not going to pick your resume out of the stack. Try social networking! Reach out to friends and family. Let them know your experience and interests. The odds improve dramatically when you are personally referred to an employer compared to reading black ink on a piece of paper. If you want to take this idea to the next level, create a LinkedIn account.
2. Make your cover letter and resume company specific. Certainly the “Objective” portion of your resume should change and could even include the company name that you are applying for. If appropriate, perhaps you could even make your resume match the company colors! It lets them know that you are truly paying attention to their company and you’re not just blindly sending our resumes to every company in the state.
3. Research the companies before applying! I know the job market it tough out there, and you would just like to have a job anywhere, but you want to be sure that you’re actually interested in both the job and the company. If you are not excited about the opportunity, the employer will know. Also, you want to utilize that research and incorporate your discoveries in your cover letter. Make sure they know that you’ve done your homework and that you truly are interested in their mission and their goals for the company.
4. Don’t discount jobs that you think are over-qualified for. Many times there are numerous growth opportunities within the company, and you could be promoted to the position of your dreams in a short period of time. If you have a passion for the company and truly love the work, then the promotions will soon come and money will start to flow your way.
5. Be persistent! This is honestly the toughest part. It’s easy to get discouraged and down on yourself, but if you do the work and take the advice that I have outlined above, I am confident that you will soon find the job you are looking for.
