Searching for a job and submitting job applications is one of the most stressful things to go through. It can be daunting and sometimes frustrating. Before going on a job search, there are things you need to get ready, that way, your search is much more productive and less stressful than usual.
Things to do before starting your job search
You need to know what you want, what jobs you want, and the end goal of being employed
Sometimes, when searching for a job, people go into it without much thought, applying to any job they see with the job role they are looking to fill. Doing so can be unproductive and when they get the job, they might realize it’s not what they wanted or it doesn’t align with the long-term goal they have for themselves. You don’t want to be like that.
Before you search for a job and start any job application, you need to ask yourself what it is you want. Are you looking to gain more experience? Are you looking to build your career? Are you looking for something flexible that gives you time? Are looking to get money in whatever way, as long as it’s legal and through a job? What do you want? You need to figure that out.
Secondly, you need to know what type of jobs to take. Someone starting a career might be looking for experience and so even an internship opportunity works for them or anything that lets them get their hands on different aspects of the job. However, someone with more experience looking to build their career and gain influence and exposure will look for jobs that allow them to exercise leadership skills.
Finally, with an end goal in mind, you know the steps to take to get there. For instance, if your end goal is to become a business marketing consultant, you might want to start as a marketing associate. That way, you know you’re aligned to your end goal.
So before you start searching for a job, you need to know what you want, the jobs you want, and the end goal of it all.
You may want to look at 5 reasons new immigrants find it hard to get a high-income job in Canada
Create a list of responsibilities and requirements the kind of job you’re looking for has
If you know the kind of jobs you want, you need to look at what such roles require and what the responsibilities are. What this does is give you an idea of what your resume should look like and how to craft your resume to highlight the key points.
For instance, if you’re looking to find a Scrum Master job, you can take a look at 10 to 15 job applications, noting their requirements and what’s common to each of them. Take a look at how the responsibilities are written and note them down.
Look for companies that fit into your goal and what you like
Now that you know what you want when looking for a job, you need to also find out what companies fit into what you want. It could be their work culture, what they stand for, the work they do, the employee benefits, flexibility, etc.
Make a list of these companies to apply to. The job search and application process is a tedious one that requires a great amount of effort. Instead of distributing resumes everywhere and not doing the application well enough, it’ll be profitable to have a list of companies you’d like to apply to and put a great amount of effort into the application.
When you do all you’re supposed to do, you become one step closer to getting the job. If you have specific companies in mind, you can find out more about them. Reach out to people working there to learn more that could assist you in making your application stand out and be successful. To put this kind of effort into every single application you come across is time-consuming and draining and that’s why most people just do the bare minimum.
Don’t be like that, put in the effort.
Write a resume/CV that contains all possible experiences
Usually, when applying for a job, the right thing to do is to highlight experiences that are specific and complementary to that job. However, before starting your job search and application, it’s advisable to write a resume that contains every possible experience and responsibility you’ve done. Some people call it a “master resume”.
As you write a master resume, don’t think too much about how the responsibilities are written. You can write it in the simplest way possible or the way it came to your head, it doesn’t have to be written in “resume-refined” words. The idea is to have a list of all you’ve ever done.
What creating a master resume does is that it serves as a document with all possible experiences and so when you’re applying for any job, you simply pick the experience and responsibility best suited for the job. It is when you have picked these experiences and responsibilities that you can refine the words and sentences to become professional and align with the keywords for the job.
Optimize your LinkedIn profile
As someone who is career-focused or looking for business, it’s important you have an online profile in 2022. One of the simplest ways is to have a LinkedIn profile. Another way is to have an online portfolio that could be hosted on your website or any portfolio website. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, you should get one.
Optimizing your LinkedIn account can get recruiters and employers to notice you. Asides from optimizing your profile for visibility, having a LinkedIn profile allows recruiters and employers to see your professional experiences and achievements in one place. Think of it as an online resume. You also get to network with others in your industry, which is a great way to build relationships.
Another important thing to do to make sure you are credible is to audit your social media pages for things that may throw employers off. Companies now conduct online background checks on people they want to hire. You don’t want something implicating you.
Network network network!
Most jobs are filled through relationships and recommendations. Not all job vacancies make it out to the public only a few of them do. This is why it’s important to build relationships and network with people in your industry because you never know when someone will recommend you for a job or project.
The interesting thing is, people who are recommended may not be the best, or they might be average, but because someone spoke for them, there’s a great trust there and they are hired, even without an interview. Take advantage of networking with people and building relationships. A great way to do so is by providing value to these people.
So, go to that event, seminar, or workshop and network with people. Expand your network, it helps!
If you’ve done all the 6 points discussed above, you can proceed with your job search and application. You’ll find out it’s easier and you’re clearer on what you want.
In the comment section, tell me what stood out for you in this article.
You can access our free CV/resume revamp guide here.
