Strategies for Successful Job Search and Career Growth
Many factors today can affect your ability to find the right job and secure it. Let’s discuss some of those elements and address how you can increase your odds of going back to work.
Many employers have changed the way they hire new team members. They are no longer willing to just try someone out on the job and hope for the best. Companies have slowed down enough to see what the wrong hires can do to the company’s culture, morale, and overall bottom line. Recruiters are diving deeper into the digital lives of job candidates to find out more than what you would put on your resume before they hire you.
They want to know as much as they can about you, your skills, and your past employment history. They are looking for people who want to work and will contribute to their company and team.
Traditional job boards may help you get your resume out there. However, these systems lack the ability to really show an employer who you are and how you fit into the dynamics of their company.
Understanding Employer Expectations Beyond Job Postings
LET’S RECAP: Employers post very little about available positions. Often, what is listed about a job includes the bare minimum of what an employer is seeking in a job candidate. These posts lack the soft skills and personality traits employers really want for the position. As a result, recruiters receive many resumes for the same position, all detailing how perfect the candidate is for the position from an experience perspective but not whether that person will fit with the company.
REALITY: Employers don’t have the time or resources to sort through hundreds of resumes in a wide variety of formats. Often, hiring managers are so inundated with applications that they are unlikely to even see your resume, much less respond to it—especially if your resume does not follow an easy-to-read format that sticks to the facts relevant to the position, including:
- Who you worked for
- How long you were there
- What you were responsible for
- Why you left
Include your education, certifications, computer software knowledge, and a project list if it applies to the position. You can enhance your resume further with a reference letter from former employers. References verify your capabilities and show recruiters what type of person they are hiring.
Ultimately, your resume will get you in the door and into the interview chair. However, once you have made it that far, it is up to you to ensure you shine during the interview to land the job of your dreams. Be punctual, research the company you are interviewing for, and prepare questions for the hiring manager, to stand out among the crowd.
To Landing the Job of Your Dreams,
Suzanne Breistol