Originally Published: March 29th, 2023
Update: September 24th, 2023
This article will show you how to win at job searching.
Job searching can be an extremely long and discouraging process. Don’t worry, I’ve been there. It can have you doubting your skills, experiences, and degree, especially if others in similar situations to you are having more success.
The process of looking for a job can be an unnecessarily long and difficult time. It really is just knowing where to look. You may be doing it wrong, which is why you may not have gotten to the interview stage.
Luckily for you, I have a few tips that may increase your confidence in your abilities and help you win at job searching.
![win at job searching](https://thrivingindependently.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/jfdhdslhdg-1-683x1024.png)
Do your research before you begin to apply for jobs
This is an extremely important step and you probably do not have time to waste.
There is some saying about two guys with an ax and they have an unlimited amount of time to cut down a tree. One chooses to start hacking at the tree first while the other chooses to sharpen his axe. You can imagine who won. If you want to win at job searching, then you’ll need to prepare first.
Some things that you could do to help you do job research are:
- Look for the type of roles that your industry offers
- Know where you can do the work (in-office, telework)
- Look for people on LinkedIn who do the same work that you do
- Know the target salary
- Salary transparency is not common practice, so it is up to you to come up with a number and stick to it!
Best Tips To Win at Job Searching
It is a numbers game
I will repeat over and over that job searching is nothing more than a numbers game. How many people you reach out to, how many applications you have submitted, etc., and those who do not give up being successful. To win at job searching, you’ll have to increase the quantity of applications you send out.
The people that you see on social media overflowing with opportunities probably have either a nonexistent work-life / school-life balance or spend the majority of their free time applying.
This is the “less-sexy” part that does not get your attention on social media. The truth is that it takes hard work to achieve these high-paying jobs without previous connections.
These people probably have gigabytes on their computers dedicated to school or resumes and cover letters. To win at job searching with blind applications (applications where you have not reached out to anyone beforehand) you have to first get past the resume filters that companies use and then stand out enough to warrant an interview.
As you work at it you will get better and faster with your writing. You will probably have submitted so many resumes, that you have one for every possible scenario. It just takes time.
Find three specific job titles that you think would interest you
I chose three as the number because it gives you enough variation in a job industry, but not too much. If you have tunnel vision on one particular role at a company that is a good fit for you and you don’t receive it, you will probably be discouraged.
Having multiple feasible jobs will allow you to try out different aspects of your industry while leaving room for growth in other areas.
A key part to win at job searching is spreading your eggs out in different baskets.
One thing that helped me greatly during the job hunting process was narrowing down the job titles that I was interested in. I had little professional work experience and my degree was so broad, that it didn’t point me in one particular direction.
Limiting the number of jobs or companies that you apply for will not only improve your chances of success but allow you to have a more impactful resume.
Applying to similar jobs or companies will help you get familiar with the jargon used or the types of documents that the employer would typically want to be included with your resume.
Don’t forget the amount of time that you would save applying to similar jobs that you have already researched. A lot of the information would just transfer over.
You would think that limiting the number of jobs that you apply for would hurt your chances if it is a numbers game, but the result is actually the opposite.
People pay more for specialization. If you spend the time to learn the field and become comfortable enough to explain it to others in simple terms, you have already done the work that most people won’t do.
Setting yourself apart from the competition will help you win at job searching.
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Make yourself easy to find
Believe it or not, recruiters like shortcuts too. If you take anything away from this post, YOU MUST, I repeat YOU MUST make yourself easy to find.
Now, this does not mean putting your phone number or home address on the internet. But if you have social media, as long as it is professional, it would be beneficial for you to mention the things that you are passionate about.
Circling back to it being a numbers game, you increase your chances by just having more opportunities out there for people to find you.
If the only difference between you and another applicant is that one has a LinkedIn profile, that could be the difference between receiving a job offer and not. If you are job hunting and don’t have a LinkedIn profile, imagine all of the people that you are blocking access to that only use LinkedIn to find applicants.
It is free to sign up for and you have to do your best to use the resources that are available to you.
Easy ways for you to make yourself easy to find (by a recruiter) are to get involved in:
- Projects
- Organizations
- Events
Show that you are here for the cause! This is no test of your actual dedication to the corporation; however, recruiters can find a whole story in a picture of you teaching non-English speakers or playing soccer with underprivileged youth. Do you see where I am going here?
Don’t be afraid to try other jobs during the process
Deadlines are real and rent is still due regardless of your employment status. Sometimes, you have to take the opportunities that are presented to you even if they are not your first choice.
Please know that this can be a pit stop in the journey of your career. There is no shame in taking a “less desirable” job, while you are searching for something better.
You gotta do what you gotta do. Everyone can’t participate in the internship to career pipeline and that is okay. Just prepare in the meantime for the job that you are supposed to have in the future.
You may have some unexpected realizations while you work at your new job. Finally, you will get the chance to acknowledge the little voice that has been screaming at you from the back of your consciousness.
Don’t throw away an opportunity based on the fact that you wouldn’t have chosen it for yourself. If you had received everything that you asked for, where would you be?
Being open-minded will help you win at job searching.
Expect no response (Yes, rejection would be an upgrade)
Here is one of the most anger-inducing parts of the job application process. At least for me. Now, I know that many hiring managers have probably not been in the job-searching game for a long time.
But my number one grievance with the job searching process is the “we will only be contacting applicants that we want to move forward with” type of job posting. What effort does it take to draft a “Thank you for your application, there were many qualified candidates…” ONE TIME and then send it to all of the people you choose not to move forward with.
People take time out of their days to edit their resumes and draft their millionth cover letter to apply to the job posting that you put up and you don’t have the decency to send a rejection email, so you just go with nothing??? Make it make sense. (Insert angry emoji here)
The issue is that people have no indication of whether the job has been filled or if they are still considering applicants so they may move on prematurely or wait too long and waste time.
I think that is the MINIMUM that companies could do to show that they are considerate of people’s time.
But I digress….
To save you the frustration, I would encourage you to not expect an application update. I would not get emotionally tied to any job where it would disappoint me if I never received a response.
I encourage you to stay open and to keep applying until the day before your start date. You just never know.
If you liked this post, you’ll love these:
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Be creative
You don’t have to limit yourself to the one job that you have been telling your parents about for the last 10 years. You may have more success and find it faster if you expand your options a little.
Apply for jobs within the same company, they may be willing to consider you for a different job than the one you applied for. Never stop yourself from applying for a job. I don’t care what the description says! Especially, if no cover letter is required!
If you have an ideal company, apply it to its competitors. You may be able to get the same experience or a better one if you work with the competition. You owe nothing to a company that chose not to hire you.
The ultimate cheat code to finding a job is using the people around you
If there was one “cheat code” to making this process a whole lot easier it would be knowing someone who is already doing what you want to do. They have already done the grunt work or building rapport and getting the foot in the door and they might be more than happy to get you in too.
Never mind the fact that some companies have a referral bonus for employees who bring in more employees, but if the person cares about you, they may be looking for you to succeed!
All that you have to do is ask.
On another note, nepotism babies…I personally think that y’all owe it to the rest of us without connections to use the ones that you have, providing that you work hard. Some people are lucky and that is okay. If the path is clear and it is what you want, go for it!
Please don’t think that we wouldn’t be doing the same if we were in the same position. All I would say is to not forget who your friends were when you had no job. We like side doors too!
If you were not fortunate enough to have connections that are only the result of somebody else’s doing, all hope is not lost.
You can still reach out to people in the same industry or who do the same job (their advice may be invaluable). If they started from the bottom and have developed any sense of empathy, they probably won’t want to see others struggle the way that they did.
The number one thing that people can claim expertise on is themselves. People love to share their experiences and how they got to the point that they are now. If you come from a place of curiosity and are willing to learn, you may just find a mentor!
Someone who is willing to pay their success forward by sharing their wins and mistakes is someone to be noticed. As humans, we benefit from learning about the journeys of others. Bonus points if they sprinkle in a few contacts too.
You may be surprised at who you can come in contact with if you send that first message. Now, it is a numbers game too, but there is an exponential benefit that can come from speaking to the people who are doing what it is that you want to do.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you have learned some things that would help you win at job searching. You never know what threshold you need to overcome to reach your potential, so it is best to keep going.
If you enjoyed this passionate post, please leave a passionate comment if you can relate. I know that I can’t be the only one who feels this way about no responses XD.