New jobs are becoming more and more competitive. The internet has provided jobseekers with the necessary resources to research, find, and apply for jobs. When you are looking for work you need to make yourself stand out from the pack. Give your potential employer a great reason to remember you. If you start through making tweaks to your resume and cover letter, optimizing your resume, enhancing your wardrobe, and doing as much research about the company as possible, employers will start to notice you and finding jobs will become easier. A few small adjustments to your overall job hunting strategy can pay big dividends in today’s market.
1.) Customize Your Cover Letter
Writing a high quality cover letter is essential in the job hunting process. Human resources will read the cover letters off their short-list of candidates. Many job seekers use the same document for every job, and although this will save you time, it will weaken your application. Do some research about the company and department you would like to work for and use this information to draft a completely customized cover letter. Figure out who exactly will be reading the document, and address them by name. Be very specific about your intentions and how you can help the company, but also keep your document to one page. A clean, succinct, and informative cover letter can be a huge difference maker.
2.) Optimize Your Resume
If you find a job online, chances are that hundreds of other people have found the same position. When applicant pools get too big, human resources departments use software to filter out the relevant resumes. Read through the job description for each position you are applying for and be sure to include these phrases in your resume. Not a lot of people think about this when they are applying for jobs, but it’s an important step that cannot be overlooked. It will automatically place you amongst the top candidates and prevent hiring managers from skipping over your resume. Keyword optimization has helped many people land interviews, and you should consider yourself no exception.
3.) Dress to Impress
Assuming you land the interview, you need to dress the part. A lot of times the clothes you wear can have a significant impact on whether or not you will land the job, because the employer needs to be certain that you will fit into the company culture. Some jobs will not require you to dress your best, but most will. Get a haircut, make sure your nails are trimmed, and work on your appearance. It might seem trivial, but it’s an important step. Often times the most presentable candidate stands the best chance of landing the job. Dressing nicely will also make you feel more confident, and can have a dramatic impact on your overall interview skills. Looking good makes you feel good. Don’t chew gum, turn off your cell phone and cover your tattoos. Use professionalism to win over the hiring manager.
4.) Focus on Networking
Build your social media accounts in a professional manner and try to create good connections. Find your previous managers and coworkers on LinkedIn and ask for endorsements. Having an excellent social media network can reflect positively on you during your job hunt. The hiring manager is sure to look into these profiles, so you want to eliminate any possibly that they would reflect negatively on your application. Being transparent about your work history and past connections will help your application. Focus on building and maintaining your social network. Having an excellent LinkedIn account will help you land jobs, especially since this website has become a popular place for jobseekers to find careers.
Matthew Welch
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