Jobs Search 101: Finding Success & Landing A New Career
To most job seekers, the process of finding a new career can seem like an intimidating experience. But with the right preparation and skills, it can be an empowering opportunity to find out just how much you're worth - especially if you're feeling undervalued in your current position.
In this post, we'll take a look at some of the best ways for job seekers to get prepared for their search - from building a resume and cover letter to preparing for interviews. We'll also discuss what employers are looking for in candidates during these stages and offer up plenty of examples from our own careers on what jobs are out there that might work well for particular individuals.
Before we even start talking about specific job searches, it's important to clarify that the purpose of this post isn't simply to act as a job-search tutorial. That would be far too simple - there are thousands of resources out there that can give (and have given) you all the practical knowledge you need to do well and complete your search.
Instead, this post is meant to be a starting point for those who might want more insight into how careers change, how our jobs today differ from those we had when we were in school and why it's important to understand them before taking a more in-depth look at actual career paths.
Let's get started!
Step 1: Create the Right Profile
Once you've decided that you want to start your job search, you'll need to decide what kind of person you are and what specific skillsets will help you land a new position. For many people, this is an easy task to do - they already know exactly what kind of job they want and how to describe it. Others, however, might be closer in their understanding of their strengths but not as confident about where those strengths would take them in the search. That's okay!
No matter what your current situation might be, we recommend that you take the time to clarify and refine your personal brand - exactly who you are as a candidate. Here are some tips for doing so:
What are your interests? What do you like to do in your spare time? How are these different from or similar to what you want to spend your workday doing? What skills do you want to use in a career? When you think about this question, keep in mind that not all of these can be listed on a resume. There might be others that come up in interviews or come out when working with clients but aren't necessary on paper. Not sure where to start? It can be easy to get into a routine of doing what we're good at but aren't necessarily passionate about. If you've come up with a list of personality traits that really describe you and want to know what careers they might make a good fit for, there are lots of websites out there that can help you find the answer - from Career Values Test (which shows you potential careers based on your interests) to Idealist.org's Interest Profiler (which lists similar jobs to those that interest you). What do you need to make the change? The passion and interests are important, but there are other factors to consider as well. What financial or personal obligations do you have that would restrict your ability to change jobs? What about family issues? It isn't always easy to find a new job - especially if it requires relocating - and many of us can't go anywhere without taking family into account. Even if you aren't willing or financially able to relocate at the moment, it might be worth testing out your new skills in a different department at your current job or looking into smaller companies where changes are easier.
When you're ready, add these pieces of information into an online profile that is easy for potential employers to access. It can be as overt as a LinkedIn profile or as discreet as a section on your Facebook page, but you should be able to convey your brand and interests in a way that makes you attractive to potential employers.
Step 2: Get Practical
Once you've determined how you want your brand to come across, it's time to create the actual resume and cover letter that will introduce you. As much of a nervous wreck this process can be for some people - especially if they haven't created these documents since their last job search - it doesn't have to be any more complicated than basic grammar, writing skills and content. Here are some tips for doing so:
Start with an outline. This might sound obvious, but it's an important step for some people. By having the general ideas of what you want the document to say in mind from the start, you can build a basic structure for your words and know where you should be going with each section. It's also good to keep in mind how your resume will appear online as you're writing it - if it looks choppy, then it probably is!
This might sound obvious, but it's an important step for some people. By having the general ideas of what you want the document to say in mind from the start, you can build a basic structure for your words and know where you should be going with each section. It's also good to keep in mind how your resume will appear online as you're writing it - if it looks choppy, then it probably is! Keep it short. We're not just talking about word count here, although that isn't a bad place to start. Instead, we're saying that you need to focus on the most important aspects of your career so far - remember, potential employers aren't going to read your whole life story and either have a general outline of what you've done or the time (or patience) to read through full descriptions. So be brief and choose your words carefully.
We're not just talking about word count here, although that isn't a bad place to start. Instead, we're saying that you need to focus on the most important aspects of your career so far - remember, potential employers aren't going to read your whole life story and either have a general outline of what you've done or the time (or patience) to read through full descriptions. So be brief and choose your words carefully. Be detailed. This tip is in direct conflict with previous one, but it's still necessary if you want a great resume. There's a tendency to want to say more than what's necessary and make it look like your resume is too long but, at the same time, it's important that you leave out things that won't be of interest to potential employers. This can be especially difficult if you are addressing multiple jobs simultaneously - if you've been looking at companies for a long time and have a list of 20 or so, it might be too much information to include in one document. Here are some suggestions for where your information belongs:
Any references : Even if they're not mentioned on your resume, it can be nice to include them in the cover letter along with the interviewer's contact information.
Conclusion : Include a short summary of your skills and interest to make sure the employer knows what you're about.
: Include a short summary of your skills and interest to make sure the employer knows what you're about. Personal history/background : This section can include anything from basic details (like your location) to more in-depth information (like educational background, if it's not already included).
: This section can include anything from basic details (like your location) to more in-depth information (like educational background, if it's not already included). Work history : Showcase your work and experience using bullet points - it's easier for an employer or recruiter to read this way than long paragraphs.