It’s a new year, is it time for a new career? With a new year comes many professionals making resolutions to climb the corporate ladder or find a new position entirely. We’re sharing all the need-to-know tips for standing out in 2023 while job searching, straight from recruiting experts.
Write a proposal, not a job description.
Instead of writing your resume as a summary of prior experience, treat it like a proposal of the value and skills you could provide to the company. Highlight the ways in which you could help the potential employer overcome a specific challenge and back up the claim by sharing an applicable success from a prior role.
Treat your resume like a website and improve its SEO.
Many employers utilize some sort of scanning software to help them determine which resumes match their qualifications most closely. To avoid getting passed over for a role because of word choice, be sure to use company and role specific keywords and phrases. Read through the job description and company website to identify qualifications you should include in your resume when applicable. Be sure to include your strongest keywords in the top one-third of your resume to improve your chances of moving forward.
Slow down.
Many people have the tendency to submit their resume to as many openings as they can. Take the time to research the industry and company, write a personalized resume and cover letter specific to each application and follow up with recruiters. This will ensure you stand out from the crowd.
Optimize your LinkedIn profile.
Especially now while there is less face-to-face opportunity, it’s important to add extra effort into online networking. Go beyond updating your LinkedIn profile with relevant experience and look at profiles of leaders in the industry you’re targeting to get inspiration for what to highlight and how to present yourself. Your LinkedIn should act as a polished portfolio that could be viewed by a hiring manager or industry leader.
Consider joining LinkedIn groups and utilizing their Alumni tool to grow your online network.
Download LaSalle Network’s comprehensive guide to Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile for all the tips, tricks and tools to make LinkedIn work for you.
Attend virtual networking events.
Networking events in person can be nerve wracking, and many job seekers may feel like they have an easy “out” now while many in-person events have been canceled. However, many of the usual players such as trade organizations, alumni groups and professional organizations are still meeting virtually. With the click of a button, you can meet with and learn from industry leaders around the world via webinars and video conferencing. Making this a regular part of your job search can help expand your network and provide quality conversation topics for interviews.
Find opportunities before they hit the job boards.
According to Business Insider, 70% of jobs are never even listed. Don’t rely on a job board. Instead, seek out new opportunities in your network. Think of all the connections you have to people working in targeted industries whether it be peers in academic circles, friends of family members, former coworkers, or any other individuals you have a personal connection with.
Reach out to each person to catch up and be sure to mention you are job searching. They may know of opportunities or have insight into industries that are hiring.
First focus on the company, then on the job.
While it is important to keep in mind if the company is offering roles you are interested in and qualified for, also consider the leadership, mission and culture of a company and where you might be a good fit as well. While so many roles are adapting and shifting during the pandemic, highlighting the ways you could benefit and contribute to the company as a whole can help you avoid pigeonholing yourself.
Look for growth, even if it’s not the industry you have experience in.
Job hunters have to be willing to be flexible. Your chances of finding and keeping a job will increase when you focus on opportunities within growth industries.
Be prepared to be flexible.
This might mean accepting a part-time or contract role as companies get hiring ramped up, accepting a job that is outside your intended career path, or even relocating if needed.
Taking a different road in your career path doesn’t mean abandoning your goals entirely. A change in course can be an opportunity to develop the tools and transferable skills you’ll need for your dream job down the line and will demonstrate resiliency and work ethic to future employers.
Don’t get discouraged.
Job searching is not easy and doing it amid recession may take time. Avoid getting discouraged and throwing in the towel. Track your progress on both the big and the small actions that help take you closer to your goal each day. Keep count of the phone calls made, networking events attended, job applications submitted, and the hours spent researching. Seeing the effort put into the search can help with feeling accomplished and seeing the progress when it gets tough.
Let us help you on your way to your next role. Visit our job board here to view our open opportunities.
