Finding a job involves more than searching for open positions and submitting your resume. You want to ensure you’re a good fit for the job and that you are able to catch the attention of the hiring manager. You also want to be prepared to answer interview questions, so doing research about the job and company is essential. Here are 10 tips to improve your job hunting game.
1) Know your career goals
2) Freshen your resume up (and get help if needed!)
3) Plan, plan, plan!
4) Tap into ALL job search resources
5) Apply with confidence
6) Network regularly
7) Identify examples of the skills you highlight
8) Research & prepare for interviews
9) Follow up
10) Always be expanding your skills
1. Know your career goals
Identify the career you want! This is particularly important for people entering the workforce for the first time or changing careers. You don’t have to have all the answers, but know your interests and how you want to navigate this path. This will help you narrow your job search to positions you truly want! If this is a place that you struggle, or you’re looking for a career change, working with MOLARI will help you fill in some of the blanks. We offer career coaching to all applicants where we will guide you to roles we think are best suited for your career goals. Did you know that taking on temporary work can be a huge help when deciding what career path you truly want to take.
2. Keep that resume fresh!
Have family, friend or professional acquaintance proofread your resume and cover letter for errors, as well as to offer advice. If you’re an active part of the MOLARI community, come to us for resume advice. If you are just starting the process at MOLARI, be sure to ask in your interview, we’re here to help! We have over 30 years recruiting experience in the Berkshires, and see thousands of resumes, we know what hiring managers are looking for.
3. Plan ahead
Searching for a job can feel like a full-time job. Approaching it with organization can really make a difference in finding a job more efficiently. Decide how many hours you can dedicate to your search and you can even designate a specific day for your job search. Ensuring your resume, cover letter and list of references are up to date is a great way to keep organized. If you are feeling overwhelmed and need help with your job search, working with an agency can make all the difference. Here at MOLARI we’re in this search together! If you commit to staying in touch with your recruiter, this will keep you active in our system and together we will find you the next step in your career.
4. Use all job search resources
Rather than limiting yourself to manual online searches, take advantage of all job search options. Here at MOLARI we are working closely with hiring managers at companies throughout Berkshire County, giving us our applicants an advantage over those who are applying digitally. Your resume and information are sent directly to the hiring manager, which gets you in front of the right people – not just in a hiring system. Use job search engines to find openings on job boards, company websites, professional associations and more. Sign up for daily or weekly job alerts by email. Be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter, highlighting our open jobs and latest blog. Sign up here.
5. Apply with confidence
Believe in yourself and the skills you have to offer! If you see a job you’re interested in, but not sure you meet some requirements, apply! Either in your cover letter, or the interview, use this confidence to show you are motivated to learn and succeed in the role. Showing employers you are a motivated individual who will learn quickly, may get them to provide you with skills training on the job. When you apply be sure to include examples of your work ethic and ability to learn new skills in your resume. Emphasize how your goals align with those of the company.
6. Network regularly
Networking is going to look a bit different with COVID-19. But you can still interact with people and develop professional contacts online. Using sites like LinkedIn, which is a digital networking platform, will help during this time. Connecting with previous coworkers, or people in the industry you want to find work in, may help you in your job search.
7. Identify examples of your skills
Review the skills you’ve highlighted in your resume, can you choose an example of using these skills in real-life situations in your career? People tend to remember stories and examples over lists of facts. Use these experiences or accomplishments you’ve identified, that highlight the skills needed for a certain job and use them during networking opportunities or job interviews. Use the STAR method: situation, task, action and result – this should help you to identify these examples easier. Still struggling to identify your skills? If you’ve signed up for LinkedIn (as suggested above), they have a section where they help to identify your skills based on the information you provide in your profile.
8. Prepare for interviews
When researching with a company for a job you’ve applied for, you want to ensure you’ve done your research. Not just researching common interviewing questions and preparing for how you’d answer. But also for information about the company or particular role you’re interviewing for. Showing that you put time in before the interview really makes you stand out. Be sure to prepare your own questions, for the company, regarding the role and company culture. If you are well-prepared, you will be more confident and comfortable when you go into your next interview. When you’re a MOLARI applicant, our interview with you is really to get to know you and what you want in your next steps of your career. If you have questions about how your interview went, or how to best prepare for client facing interviews, just ask. Do you feel like you need more specific interview help? We are now offering Interview Skills webinars to our MOLARI community.
9. Follow up
An interviewing best practice is to always email, or mail, a thank-you note to the hiring manager you met with. In doing so, you can reinforce your interest and excitement about this opportunity. When you’re a MOLARI applicant, we want to hear from you often so that we know you’re still looking and your availability hasn’t changed. Checking-in with the recruiting team makes a huge difference in how quickly we can find you a new job, together.
10. Expand your skills
If you are just entering the workforce or starting a new career, you might need more training or experience to get a job. Consider finding resources to expand your skills, places like MassHire have great courses they offer regularly. You might also attend webinars or workshops to build certain skills or learn technologies. Be sure to always update your resume as you gain more experience.