Five ways to make your job search successful

Reduce the length of time you spend job-hunting with these five back-to-basic job search strategies:

1. Planning
Luck does play a part in a successful job search, but research published in the Science Blog shows that certain planning activities have a large impact. Researchers found that goal setting and continuous assessment of progress are important early in the job search. Their advice: have a strategy, act on it, then think about whether it’s working or how to make it work better.

2. Targets
You can’t really have a plan unless you know what it is you’re aiming for. Identify the companies or organisations you want to work for, and be clear on why they’re attractive to you. The same goes for the type of role you’re searching for. What makes it a good match for your skills, experience, and career goals?

The clearer you are on what you want, and the more succinct you can make your aim, the easier it is to write your CV and covering letter, and also to explain to other people who might be able to help you or introduce you to their contacts.

3. Search readiness
Have a CV and covering letter ready for final job-specific adjustments. Make sure you’ve already got the basics – a well-written profile summing up your professional value, a list of career highlights you can choose from to prove required skills / experience, a coherent career history section, and an up-to-date list of training and professional qualifications – so that you only need to make a few last-minute changes to customise it to the role or the company.

4. Follow-up
Don’t sit on leads, contacts or lifelines. Even if you’re not sure how they might be of direct help, be open to meeting new people – you never know who they might know. Just as importantly, help others where you can. Pass on contacts, leads and useful information to other job seekers, as well as to those you know who are hiring.

5. Be positive
The same research also found that the ability to maintain positive emotions plays a role during second interviews. The researchers advise job seekers to expect rejections and to develop a coping strategy for them.

An air of quiet confidence in your abilities and potential makes you more attractive to hirers than the two extremes of arrogance and desperation.

Photo credit: chailey