Have you been desperately searching for a job for months or even years? It can be hard not finding a job, and it’s even harder if you liked your job before. However, you can get a great job. Look at these tips to find out how.
Instead of accepting that you do not have what it takes to land a specific job, ask yourself what you can do to become a better candidate. For example, if you lack experience with a certain software program commonly used in your chosen field, look for online tutorials and how-to books. MIT and other prestigious universities offer a variety of free, non-credit online courses. Topics range from marketing research to XHTML, and completing the programs demonstrates your willingness to go the extra mile.
If you plan to use current or former coworkers and supervisors as a business or personal reference, stay in touch. Maintaining contact with these people is important because it ensures that you have accurate, current information. Periodically verify your contacts’ telephone numbers, mailing address, current place of employment and email address. Providing incorrect contact information to a potential employer may hurt your chances for success.
Try not to listen to all the press about the dwindling job market and how difficult it is to find a job. This will only seek to discourage you. There are plenty of companies out there and many are hiring. While there may be more people looking for jobs, that simply means that you need to improve your resume and interviewing skills in order to stand out. Think positively.
Try tailoring the objective on your resume to the position you’re applying for. If your resume includes an objective, it should match whatever position you are applying for at that job. When you have more specific details in your objective, you better your chances of being chosen for that position.
Make sure that you send a thank you note to all of the people that have given you interviews. Sometimes people choose other candidates, but they will keep you in mind for future positions just because you are courteous. Send the note a day or two after the interview so they can remember who you are.
Be prepared to fight for the raise that you deserve. Keep track of what you bring to the company through out the year so that you can make your case when the time comes. Your boss will respect you for it and it could easily lead to a much larger raise than what you would have received otherwise.
Remember that an interview is your chance to sell yourself as a future employee. Don’t talk about what you want the company to do for you. Employers aren’t interested in that at this stage. Instead, make sure you focus on everything you can bring to the table. Make the employer understand why you should be hired instead of other candidates.
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.
Sign up for LinkedIn. This is something everyone should already have in place, whether they have a job or not. LinkedIn allows you to network with people you know and those you don’t, giving you access to job opportunities, information about companies and the ability to learn from your peers in the field.
When you are going on your interview, make sure that you groom yourself properly a few days before. If you are a guy, shave and get your hair cut to look as professional as possible. If you are a woman, use minimal makeup to achieve a natural look and sport a conservative hairstyle.
Plan your career, to some extent. The more that you plan the more likely it is that you will reach your goals. You cannot just let your career happen to you; you have to make your career happen. Include anything you need to do to get ahead in your plan and watch how fast you climb the ladder.
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.
Create several resumes. If you are an older job seeker with lots of varied and diverse experience, sort through that experience to target the job you are seeking. You don’t have to list every kind of experience you ever had, and you should avoid doing so because it will make your resume too long and difficult for your prospective employer to sort out.
Do not put anything you would not want your employer to see on the Internet. If you use social sites such as Facebook make sure that they are set to private. You would never want your boss to come across inappropriate photos or postings. Even if your site is private, still don’t put things up unless you want the world to see.
You are hopefully feeling more confident now about finding a great job in a slow economy. It doesn’t have to be a struggle any longer. Keep the advice shared here in mind, and you will get the job you want. You will soon find the job of your dreams.
