In challenging and/or uncertain economic times, jobs in your area of work may be few, and the competition – other people looking for those same jobs – can be plentiful. Though the basic fundamentals of any Job Search are the same, there are some basics to keep in mind in order to search effectively in an evolving environment. Here are a few:
1. Keep it professional, and don’t appear too needy.
This is an important and difficult point that may be hard to follow when you are focused on landing a job quickly. Being overly aggressive, following up with multiple emails, or offering drops in salary are not effective tactics. Employers are focused on someone who is interested in working for them and not someone just interested in a paycheck. Keep your questions and comments professional and focused on the job for which you applied.
2. Having a target list of companies is ideal, but don’t over-apply.
Even though you want to send out multiple resumes because of the current job market, you should focus on a specific job, and don’t just send out a generic resume to all the companies on your list. You should have a foundational resume that you use as a basis for your career experience, and then tailor your resume for what the company is looking for in a particular job description.
3. Do you need the right job for the rest of your life, or the right job for right now?
This is a question that many job seekers need to ask in uncertain economic times. Searching for your dream job in this environment may not be the most beneficial path to finding employment. Even if you saw your career heading in a specific direction a few months ago, it is time to look at the whole picture and focus on what you can do today to move that forward. Job opportunities may change quickly in the future, and having employment now that meets some of your skills will put you in a better position when the job market shifts going forward.
Having perspective, being able to pivot, and being flexible but professional in your job search will serve you well in today’s challenging employment environment. Focus on finding employment opportunities that will help position you for the future even if those opportunities are not the exact job you were searching for.
OnPoint Job Search Solutions is here to coach you through any of your job search challenges. Whether you need a resume rewrite, your LinkedIn profile optimized, or you just don’t know where to begin (or re-launch) your search, we can help.