My Favorite Job Search Tips

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Over the course of coaching hundreds of individuals in successful job searches, I’ve developed a list of my favorite tips. Each applies across the board and is key to landing your next job. This being #GivingTuesday, I thought I would share my list with you. 

1. HAVE A GREAT RESUME. While this might seem obvious, I’m always amazed at people who haul out a 5 – 10 year old resume for a current job search. Recruiters will spend, at best, 8 seconds on your resume. If you don’t grab their attention and show them what they are looking for at the top half of the first page, they will not read any further. Make sure this space is clear, succinct and conveys the key skills and experience you bring to the job.
2. BAD SPELLING AND GRAMMAR WILL KILL YOUR SEARCH. Ok, another obvious one, but one easily overlooked. No matter how great your spelling and grammar skills are, after you’ve spent hours revising your resume, you’re still likely to miss a typo, or two. Have someone else review your resume. There is no overstating the value of a fresh set of eyes. 66% of recruiters will discard a resume for this reason.
3. CLEAN UP YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE. Over 90% of recruiters and hiring managers will view your social media activity once you’ve applied for a job. That includes Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram as well as LinkedIn. So, those social events where you went a little crazy? Make sure they are either removed from your profiles, or ensure you have tight security over public viewing. More than 50% of those who review a negative profile, will discard your candidacy and move on to the person with a squeaky clean presence.
4. LINKEDIN IS THE KING. Having a properly branded presence on LinkedIn is paramount to your search. 94% of recruiters scan profiles on LinkedIn, searching for candidates. Have you updated your profile to include a professional headshot? Have you updated your work experience to properly reflect the nature of the work you seek? Even if you are passively looking for a new job, there are key elements of your profile that you must update and keep current.
5. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. There is a hidden job market; jobs that don’t get posted to job boards. Getting out and talking with people about your skills, goals, and what you bring to an employer will help you dramatically. Networking even helps with those jobs that are posted. After all, most companies prefer to hire someone who is known internally, so those internal contacts are key. Don’t just sit at home behind your computer. Get out and network.
6. BRUSH UP YOUR INTERVIEWING SKILLS. I wish I had a nickel for every time someone told me they don’t need to practice interviewing because either “I’ve always gotten every job I’ve applied for” or “I’ve hired hundreds of people, so I know what it takes to interview well”. Well, let me explain two things. 1. Interviewing has changed over the years and is far more competitive than it used to be. So even if you have gotten every job you’ve interviewed for, don’t be so sure you still will. 2. Interviewing others is a different art than being interviewed. The tables are turned, and the necessary skills are quite different. So, do yourself a favor and find someone to practice with.
7. NEGOTIATE. Most companies do not offer their top price the first time out. They expect you to negotiate. And, no company has ever withdrawn an offer the first time a candidate counters. This was the hardest lesson I learned through my years of job searching.  Do yourself a favor, know what your value is and ask for it – politely and respectfully. The worst they can do is say no. But in my experience, I’ve only once seen a company refuse an applicant’s reasonable request for additional salary or bonus.
8. IF ALL OF THIS STILL PERPLEXES YOU, invest in your future, find a well-respected career coach, and work with them on all of these. This is what we do and having worked with hundreds of job seekers, we know the keys to a successful job search and can make the difference between lingering on the job market for too long and landing the job of your dreams.

For more interesting statistics on the job search, click HERE.
Do you have a favorite tip? Please share it. I'd love to see my list grow!