When you’re looking for a job, there are certain things you can do to stand out from the competition and increase your chances of getting hired. Here are 10 tips to apply in your next job search.
1. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Word-Of-Mouth
Sometimes employers don’t post job openings on indeed.com or LinkedIn. Instead, they put feelers out in their network to see if anyone knows who would be a good fit for their company. So keep your ears open and let friends and family know you’re looking for work. Also, if someone you know works for a business you would like to work for, ask if they would be willing to recommend you.
2. Apply to Multiple Jobs
If you apply for a job and wait until you hear back before applying somewhere else, your job search might take a while. Instead, find out who is hiring and submit your application to as many employers as you can. If more than one employer asks to interview you, it’s okay to accept each of those requests. You can always turn a job down if you are offered more than one position, but this way you have multiple options until you get hired.
3. Spruce up Your Resume Before You Start Your Search
Every job interviewer will ask for your resume, so you might as well go ahead and brush it up now. It’s important you ask for others’ input on your resume, as a fresh set of eyes can be helpful for catching spelling and grammatical errors and providing feedback. Additionally, edit your resume so that it lists skills and experience that match the job. No need to go all the way back to high school, either. Stick to listing the most recent experience/jobs you have. If you have time, try to put together a LinkedIn profile in addition to your resume. Forbes contributor Caroline Castrillon says that a LinkedIn profile and a resume go hand-in-hand these days. She says:
“Creating a LinkedIn profile will go a long way in strengthening your job search. Over 90% of recruiters and employers will look for a LinkedIn profile to compare to a candidate’s resume. Not only that but using a sample size of 24,570 fictitious job applications, one study conducted by ResumeGo found that resumes including a link to a comprehensive LinkedIn profile have a 71% higher chance of getting a job interview.”
4. Be Responsive
It may seem like a little thing, but responsiveness demonstrates to employers that you are serious about working for them. They ought to be able to get ahold of you easily, so provide them with several methods of contact. Promptly answer any follow-up emails or phone calls you receive back from businesses you’ve applied to, and if you can’t answer their call or email immediately, try to respond within 24 hours.
5. Wait to Follow Up
Waiting to see if you got the job can be nerve-wracking, but resist the urge to follow up the day after the interview. If you don’t hear back within 5 business days, it’s perfectly acceptable to give the employer a call or send an email to check the status of your application. You can respectfully ask if they have any other questions for you or need anything else from you to make their decision and, if you don’t know already, ask when you can expect to hear back.