Job Hunting Tips
With many colleagues looking, I though I'd put together a list of tips that may prove useful as they look for their next opportunity:
1) Manage your search. Use something like JibberJobber.com or even a plain old spreadsheet, but use something so you have a record of what you're doing and who you're talking with.
2) According to LHH, you'll need to talk to 20 hiring managers (not interviews, people who are in a position to hire someone) before you find your new job. If you're just submitting resumes online, that can take a long time.
3) Between TheLadders.com and Indeed.com you can find most jobs that are out there. Avoid getting endlessly sucked in to searching online.
4) Do something for yourself. Try and go for walks/workout/hit a heavy bag/knit or do something unrelated to your job search.
5) Take inventory. What are you looking for? Do you really want to be doing the exact same thing you're doing now, only somewhere else?
6) Is your LinkedIn profile up to date? It's now the #1 tool of recruiters looking for people in specific fields. Have you asked for recommendations? Do you occasionally answer questions that are posted? For that matter, have you read "I'm on LinkedIn, Now What?"
7) Find an accountability partner.
8) Get the whining out of the way early. Yes, whatever situation you're in now probably is less pleasant than where things were several months ago. You need to get over it, try and stay positive, and move forward.
9) Have a networking plan. Are you talking to people in your industry?
10) Make reasonable requests. One of the best pieces of advice I heard was to have a target list of companies, and ask people if they knew anyone at those companies. It's a lot easier to say "I'm a paid search guru, and am targeting these 20 companies, do you know anyone there?" than "here's my resume, let me know if you hear of anything". In one of these scenarios, you're being proactive and taking charge of things.
11) Be aware of the power of weak connections - Some of the most interesting opportunities will come from people who barely know you. Stay open to this possibility.
12) Read AlleyInsider's guide to surviving layoffs
13) Go talk to people. Networking events can be tough if you're an introvert, but, by definition, people are at them to talk.
14) If you're offered outplacement services, take advantage of them.
Labels: job hunting, jobs
