Finding a job in today’s economy? That’s an impossible task! Or is it? It may surprise you to learn that companies are still hiring, and although competition for jobs can be fierce, there are nonetheless things that you can do to enhance your chances of standing out. What are they? Read on!
When you are applying for a job, make sure that the job will make you happy. Often you will become so concerned with the amount of money the job pays, that you will disregard the quality of life that it will bring you. Always balance the monetary and practical benefits of a job.
One of the most important variables when you are trying to land a job is the contacts that you have on the inside. Think about all of the friends and acquaintances that you have made in the past and try to find out if any of them work at the company. This can give you a tremendous edge for hiring purposes.
Many times your best plan involves getting an entry level job in the field of your choice. Most employers want to get to know their employees before placing them in a position of higher responsibility. Use the opportunity to prove yourself as a valuable employee, and your chances of advancement will be high.
If you have a tough interview coming up, engage in at least one practice interview with someone who you respect. This can be with a teacher or a member of your family, so that you can prepare for the pressure of the actual interview. This will help to alleviate stress on the big day.
Remember when you go to a job interview to always dress professionally and make a good impression with what you wear. Even if the job is for a minimum wage or manual labor position, you will stand out from the crowd if you look good. You will have a better chance of getting a call back or actually landing the job when you look your best.
If you need to hire someone, be patient. You may need to wait until you find a candidate that is a proper fit to fill the position. Hiring too quickly can lead to disappointment and difficulty in remedying the problem.
On whichever phone number you’re giving out on applications and your resume, don’t forget to have an answering machine. If a potential employer calls and you’re out at an interview, you’ll need to know who they were and how to reach them. Don’t forget to include a professional-sounding message, too.
Showcase your writing skills and creative abilities with a comprehensive, interesting portfolio. Even if you are not pursuing a career in writing or marketing, communication skills are critical in any profession. Your portfolio should include a variety of written documents, such as press releases, business reports, research findings and executive summaries. These demonstrate that you can communicate with others in a professional environment and formal context.
If your company sponsors volunteer opportunities for its employees to participate in, get involved. This will expand your network of business contacts within your company. The more people know who you are, the easier it will be for you to move around in your company. Including this experience in your resume will also show that you are a well-rounded person, which is a good trait in an employee.
Find out a little about the company you are interviewing with. Don’t go in there blind. For starters, you may discover you don’t want to be involved with anything they are doing, or you may be able to glean some nuggets that you can impress your interviewer with, so you appear to care about this particular company.
When all else fails, hire help to write your resume. A professional resume will not only look good and read right, but it will also be written in such a way that job boards like Monster.com will highlight you in the right searches. Professionals know which terms to use to get noticed.
Be careful that you do not bad mouth your former employer at all during a job interview. Even if you left your job on bad terms you do not need to get into all of the details. Explain that you are looking for a new opportunity and try to put a positive spin on it.
Take some classes. After putting together your resume, look it over for areas that are lacking or for skills that you could use some brushing up on. Enroll in classes to close up any gaps in your resume and to update your skills. Also, taking the initiative to enroll in a course will show hiring managers that you are motivated to learn and improve.
When using the search function to look for jobs, you want plenty of filters provided so that the search results that pop up are compatible with your needs. You don’t want to have to weed through bad results. Make sure that you have plenty of filters available for selection.
Job and career fairs are important to use for your professional career, even if you aren’t currently searching for a job. You will find opportunities that you might have otherwise never known about.
When you do temporary work, work hard to make a good impression. Sometimes a short-term job can turn into a long-term one if you make yourself stand out as a superior worker. An employer will often use a temp job as an alternate way of interviewing prospective employees, so always perform at your best level.
You now have a deeper understanding of some of the important things to consider when embarking on a job search. The market can be tough, but that only means that you’ll need to have a clearer strategy in your quest to find employment! It will require work on your part, but you can certainly do it!
