Having just come off a stint at a recruiting firm I have a couple tips for job hunters. They served me well in my recent job hunt so I thought I would throw them out there for others to try.
Please add your thoughts!
1. Do you have a Linkedin Profile? Is it accurate, up to date and searchable? Many employers look at the profile and there are also jobs posted on Linkedin as well. Make your profile clean, accurate, and put the url for it on your resume.
2. Clean up your resume. Don’t use funky fonts and colors. Keep it simple. Try to list accomplishments more than job duties- or at least have both.
Try to keep it a reasonable length. If you have been in the job market for more than 15 years and your first few jobs were not relevant then don’t list them! I worked retail eons ago but never list it as it isn’t relevant to my current position and skill set.
Watch your grammar, noun/verb agreement, verb tense and clean up punctuation and spelling. There are a lot of examples of resumes on the internet. Use them to make yours look better!
Also, some people may need multiple resumes. If you have a couple distinct skill sets that are a bit different, then you may need a resume highlighting each one.
3. List the software you are proficient in – especially if it is specialized accounting, time management, CRM, Salesforce, etc. Don’t list things like the Wii or Xbox unless you are going for the game testing job! (true story saw applicants with this on their resumes…the mind boggles)
4. Have answers prepared for those dreaded “Tell about a time when you….” Questions. There is something called the “STAR” technique :
“Situation”- tell them what was going on, “Task”- what needed to happen to fix it, “Action”- what you actually did and “Results” – what the end result was. Keep it on-point and clear. Practice so you don’t ramble (my personal failing) or stumble over your words.
My experience is the questions usually revolve around a problem you solved, a challenge you faced, multiple priorities, or dealing with difficult people. Really the questions can be about anything, but keep in mind the format for your answer and keep it clear. I assume more technical fields may ask different questions.
5. Explore multiple avenues: craigslist, Careerbuilder, Linkedin, Monster, Indeed, company websites, county, city and state websites, USA Jobs, etc. Network everywhere you go, and if possible always have a copy of your resume with you just in case.
6. If you have specific target companies that you really want to work for do some research. Find the area of the company you want to be in, then go on Linkedin and find some executives or people that could be hiring managers and check out their profiles. Send them a note via Linkedin, email or snail mail telling them you are interested in working for the company and asking what their current needs are, or the best way to get into the system there.
7. Don’t give up. The market is improving and more jobs are coming available. Keep trying and keep your head up.
Anyone got anything to add? I know that job hunting sucks....
