Whether you just got a pink slip or you’ve been job hunting for months, you may be fed up with the process. Don’t despair; there’s something you can do about it. Read on to learn some of the best ways to approach your job hunt so that you can find a job quickly and easily.
A great tip for any job is to have perfect attendance. When companies are looking to lay off workers they often times look at attendance. They’d rather not pay benefits to the no-shows, so they will be first to go. By showing up every day you protect your own wallet in the long run.
Maintain a positive attitude whenever you are acting as an employee. Your attitude is one of the biggest determining factors when it comes to getting promoted, which you surely hope to happen. To ensure that you are viewed as a stable, worthy employee you need to keep your emotions to yourself.
Ensure that all of your initial points of contact with potential employers are appropriate. When prompted to leave a voice message, what do callers hear: your name and instructions, or a clip of your favorite pop song? As for your email, do you use a professional address? If not, it’s time to adopt a more grown-up moniker. Avoid usernames containing offensive words, misspellings and unflattering language.
Always do your homework before going to any job interview. Research the company that you are applying to. Know everything you can about the company and the people who work for it. Any job applicant that knows what the company is about and the company history is going to be held in higher regard than an applicant who does not.
When you are applying to companies online and they respond to you, make sure that you get in touch with them immediately to set up an interview. Rarely will a company wait on you, as you will need to take the initiative to get this done. This will help to set yourself up for an interview and potentially your next long term job.
Do not use a personal email address for job hunting. There are a few reasons for this. The first is that some job board sites will sell your email address for spam, so you’ll want to throw it away when done. The second is that you may accidentally send an email to your whole address book which ends up being personal.
Do your best to maintain eye contact during your job interview with the interviewer. Do not try to stare them down, but keep eye contact as much as possible. This shows the interviewer that you are paying attention and that you show interest in what they have to say. Practice with a friend before your interview and keep eye contact in mind.
Make sure that the voicemail on your phone sounds professional if you are giving your number to potential employers. Avoid loud background music and distracting noises. You should be clear about who you are and politely ask the caller to leave a message. Make sure that you return every call you receive promptly.
Google yourself to see what type of information comes up for potential employers when they search. If you see something that looks like it could be damaging to you, do everything you can to have it removed. Whether you believe it or not, many employers use Google searches to weed out people they don’t want to hire.
Get out there and attend many functions. First and foremost, attend any professional association gatherings that are pertinent to your area. This is a great place to find out about openings and make important personal connections. Also attend alumni events for your alma mater and make connections with other alumni that may be able to help you in your search.
Be proactive in your position. It may seem easy to simply sit back and let the job take you where it wants to go, but employers don’t really respond to that. You may find you’re the first to go if/when there needs to be layoffs. Instead, show that you’re essential by proactively looking to fill needs and solve problems related to your position. That will definitely impress those above you.
Eye contact is one of the more important things to focus on as the interview in progress. When you make eye contact with your interviewer, it shows that you are not only paying attention to them but are confident as well. These attributes are important to companies for hiring purposes.
Always review job postings carefully before applying. Pay attention to the desired qualifications, job description and other details in the postings you review. You should avoid applying for jobs you are clearly not qualified for and make sure the documents you submit with your application correspond to the material the employer wants to receive.
Remember that a job interview allows both, you and the interviewer to get to know each other. View the interview as an opportunity to see whether you would like to work for this company instead of worrying about whether the interviewer will want to hire you. This new perspective will help you relax so that you can perform your best during the interview.
Once you’re out there applying for jobs, expect them to call you back later on. Answer your phone professionally. You’ll want to leave a good impression on an employer if they happen to call you.
Even if you are not currently seeking a job, attend local job fairs or career events. You will find opportunities that you might have otherwise never known about.
Focus on what you can do for a company, not on what they will do for you. When answering the question, “why do you want to work here?” think of your answer from the employer’s perspective. You should focus on the skills you have and how you can use them for the benefit of the department and company. Don’t make the mistake of focusing on how working for the company will help you improve your skills and advance your career.
Now that you know how to search for a job, you hopefully have a lot less anxiety about the entire process. Now it”s time to put all your new knowledge to use! Take some of the steps outlined above and you are sure to get the job you want soon. [email protected]
