Congratulations! You’re officially a graduate. While you may be inexperienced in the corporate world, you’re fresh with life experiences, an unbreakable spirit, and an unwavering determination to make a difference. You’re still on a high from receiving that diploma, but your excitement is starting to wane - you can navigate the job boards with the best of them, but you’re still having trouble compiling a resume that reflects the schooling you just finished and the somewhat limited professional experience you may have.Related: 7 Tips For Finding A Job After College
Well, have no fear. You’re not alone and there’s hope for you yet. Says who? Says us. When it comes to finding your footing in the working world, the best place to look for help may be right under your nose – and no, we’re not talking about your iPhone. We’re talking about your parents, your grandparents, or your older sibling(s). Look to those who have come before you and have managed to make their way down the path you want to take.
Think about it: generations of workers have all found jobs without the help of LinkedIn and Indeed. In this day and age, we are so connected and tend to use that virtual, social connection as a crutch. But the working world doesn’t always work that way. There are tried and true benefits to the old school way of doing business, and they don't involve “liking” or “friending” someone to get a job.
The great news is, in the year 2014, there are benefits from both paths – leaning on the new and learning from the old. So, how do you navigate the balance? Here are some job strategy tips from generations past:
The Benefits Of Face-To-Face Interviews
When interviewing for new hires, companies look for two main things: technical fit and cultural fit. It’s not enough to have a degree or experience in XYZ, you also need to be able to have a conversation and get along with your future colleagues. People make first impressions within seven seconds of meeting someone so you want to ensure that yours is a positive one.
When you go on an interview, prove that you’re more than just your resume – you can work in teams, you have a sense of humor (that is, if you do) and you can polish up well. Someone may look really good on paper, but may be denied a second interview based on their lack of social skills, cultural fit, or professionalism.
Say ‘Thank You’ In A Written Note
There’s no better feeling than receiving a genuine ‘thank you’ note. To feel recognized, and to know that someone put in extra time to let you know that they’re thankful is priceless. In the working world, it’s just the same.
If you go on an interview, send a written ‘thank you’ afterward. If a family friend meets you for lunch to talk about his career and regale you with stories about his industry, let him know how much you appreciated it. These days, it’s so easy to send a quick email or text. Going out of your way to send a written note can really make an impression.
Networking: Get Out And Mingle
As they say in the biz, it’s all about who you know. Our company gets a multitude of referrals on a monthly basis and roughly 75% are people we end up hiring. So, let the people in your life know that you’re job hunting. Tell them what industries and specialties you’re interested in. Maybe they know a guy, or they work with a guy who knows a guy. If you put the conversation out there, people are going to listen and be receptive. Everyone’s been there at one time or another and most people want to pay it forward and help when/if they can.
Surround yourself with people who are already doing what you want to be doing. Take advantage of opportunities to network in your city. Join a meet-up group, start volunteering, and find out where the young professionals hang out. And if you’re worried about small talk – check out these 18 easy conversation starters for networking events. You’re not going to get that face-to-face time and charm the right people while hiding behind job boards.
Turn To The Job Market Experts
Though you may not have used one before, high quality recruiters are the best people to go to for local job, industry and growth information. They have their pulse on the job market and know who is hiring and what they’re looking for at any moment. They can help you navigate your job search and even better, help you reach your end goal – a job.
If you’re interested in learning more job strategy tips from some of our top-notch recruiters, visit one of our Adecco branches on April 30th for our Street Day careerathon. We’ll be hosting open houses all across the country and offering tips on everything from creating a solid resume to acing an interview. Check out our Way to Work site to find the Street Day event closest to you.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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