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Job hunting is rarely ever fun. More often than not, it’s a series of dead ends, disappointments, and job interviews you thought went well, but apparently not. Sometime along the way, many people just resign themselves to the fact that it’s all a matter of luck, but they couldn’t be more wrong.
Finding job seeking success is more than just a game of numbers. Sure, if you keep applying to a lot of different places, at least some of them are bound to get back to you or offer you a job, but are those going to be the kind of jobs you really want? Can you logically say there’s nothing you can do at that point to increase your chances? Of course not.
Let’s talk about six things that all successful job seekers do, and see if you can do it too.
Does Your CV Stand Out?
Consider what kind of jobs you’re applying for, and ask yourself if your CV reflects all relevant experiences that would make you seem like an ideal candidate. The reason we’re using the term “relevant” experiences is simple – you can’t possibly hope to compress your whole life story and the entirety of your professional experience in a single CV, so it’s important to prioritize what goes into it for every job.
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Many successful candidates tweak their CVs a little depending on what job they’re applying for, and it’s fine as long as you’re being honest. You can’t apply to a content writing job and an editing and proofreading role with the same CV.
On the other hand, it’s important to keep your CV easy to read and scan-able. Take this example of a Chief Officer CV, and ask yourself if your own CV comes close.
Keep Your Cover Letter Relevant
The cover letter is your chance to get the attention of your prospective employers. Instead of trying to impress them by listing all the experience you have so far, or by listing everything you’ve ever done, keep the cover letter focused on them more than on you.
It doesn’t seem like a good idea at first, but it’s the simplest way to put it. Instead of telling them all about you, tell them all about what you can do for them, and bring up any relevant experience or past projects from your resume that back that claim up. When the employer reads about all the things you can do for them, you’ll have more chances of hearing back than when you take the old approach.
Focus on the First Impression
We’re not just talking about the first impression at an interview, but about other smaller things that usually come before the interview as well. Do you have a photo of yourself uploaded on your gmail account? Now that more and more employers want to hire remote workers, they’re interested in Linkedin profiles and social media accounts – how does your Linkedin and Twitter account look? Are your work social media profiles up to date, or will employers see someone uninteresting and unprofessional when they see your profiles?
Job hunting is rarely ever fun. Many times, it’s a series of dead ends, disappointments, and job interviews you thought went well, but did not. Many people just resign themselves to the fact that it’s all a matter of luck, but they couldn’t be more wrong.Click To TweetMake Your CV Scannable
Hiring managers go through multiple CVs in a single day, so make sure you take every step possible to make yours stand out and easy to scan.
Include your headshot if you think it’ll help, use bullet points where you can, and keep it no longer than two pages max. The ideal CV will have columns, be graphic, and one page long.
Practice Interviews
Don’t make the mistake everyone else makes and go to the interview unprepared. Google the most asked
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Stay Optimistic
Looking for work seems like a hopeless task at times, but a little patience and consistency go a long way. You’re putting in all this work for you, and you need to keep your head up high and keep showing up for yourself every day until you’re successful.
