How to Search for a Job Effectively
Employment can be a fickle thing, and for many different reasons. In our post ‘Hey Dude, I Just Quit My Job!” “Wait, You Did What???”’ we listed some of the best ways to resign. Once you’ve packed up your desk and moved on, you might be looking for the best ways to get back into the fray. Going on a job search can be overwhelming, and with so many postings both online and in print, it can be hard figuring out where to start. If you’re fresh out of college, looking for better career opportunities, or simply aching for a change, then here are some tips on how to do your job search quickly and effectively.
List Out Your Career Goals
The first thing you’ll want to do before embarking on your quest for employment is to set out your career goals. Are you looking to make it into a management position within a couple of years? Do you have plans to go back to school? Or are you focused on more general growth, like improving your skill set and gaining experience? Whatever your answer to these questions, it’s important to have a clear idea of where you’d like to be within the next five or ten years. CareerAddict has a list of achievable career goals, both short- and long-term, that may help you decide where you want to go.
Pay Attention to Language
Searching for a job posting online can be quick and convenient, but it can also get overwhelming. The internet is full of information, and a lot of it might not be relevant to your career goals and expectations. In order to keep your job search effective, you’ll need to use relevant keywords and have a keen understanding of the language used in job postings. According to Business Insider, companies use unique language patterns in their job postings, and these patterns can reveal a lot about company culture. If you’re looking for something specific, it’s a good idea to scrutinize the wording of the call for applications and see if it’s something that’s a good fit for you.
Don’t Apply to Everything
It may be tempting to apply to every posting you see, but that can actually be counterproductive. Aviation JobNet says that applying to every position may actually be detrimental for you in the long run because it takes time and energy away from applications that are actually relevant to you. You may find yourself attending interviews that aren’t aligned with your career goals, or spending too much time working on resumes for positions that aren’t a good fit.
Applying to too many positions and receiving subsequent rejections may also take a toll on your emotional health and self-confidence. Instead of farming out your resume to everywhere that has an open call, narrow your list of companies to apply for and carefully work on your application for each. That way, you don’t spread yourself too thin, and you’ll be able to dedicate more time and energy to making sure you put your best foot forward.