10 Important Things To Do When Job Hunting

Looking for work can be stressful and tiring, especially if you don’t have a plan. Handing out resumes and making cold calls can be hard on your self-confidence, but being strategic about your job hunt can re-invigorate you and give you the motivation to keep going. Here are 10 things you should try to do while you’re looking for work.

1. Perfect your resume

Customize your resume for each job you apply for. Take some time to perfect your resume, CV or portfolio to adequately showcase your skills, education and experience. Write unique cover letters for each position, explaining why you want the job and how you feel you can add value to the company.

2. Apply to one or more temporary agencies

One of the best ways to keep working, even while looking for a permanent position, is to take a temp position. There are temporary agencies for almost all kinds of workers, and depending on your location, you may find more than one that hires out people with your skills.

3. Identify at least five prospective employers

Conduct a search for prospective employers who hire job-seekers with your skills. You should start locally, but understand you may need to expand your search to other locations. Conduct research on each employer you find that fits your criteria so that you can use that information to enhance your cover letter, resume, and application.

4. Find and apply to at least one real job opening

Using all the tools available to you — local job ads, industry-specific job boards, geographic-specific job boards, and general job boards — locate and apply to at least one job opening. Do not, however, spend the bulk of your day on job boards because some of the “open” job openings may be no longer be available (or perhaps never were). Still, take the time to conduct a search as you may be able to find hidden gems that you could not find through other job-search methods.

5. Reach out to family and friends about potential job leads

Even if you feel you have done this step already, make it a point today to contact people in your network about any new job leads. Ask the closest people to you to contact their family and friends to truly utilize the power of this tool. Remember that you are simply asking about any information about potential job openings and other contacts to talk to; you are not asking people for a job. The more networking you do, the more likely your success in finding a new job.

6. Treat the job hunt as a full time job

Taking a week or two off after losing your job is fine, but thinking of the job hunt as an extended vacation will also extend your unemployment. Treat the search as you would a 9-5 job, and have a plan in place for how you’re going to spend that time.

7. Take an online course to hone your skills

Whether you’re looking for a job in a new field or just wanting to upgrade your current skillset, taking an online course can help your resume get noticed. Not only does it give you new skills, it shows that you’re motivated and willing to do what it takes to better yourself and get the right job.

8. Sharpen your interviewing skills

The job interview is your chance to shine — to sell your unique mix of experience, education/training, and skills to the hiring manager(s). If you are going on first interviews, but never getting invited back, your interviewing style may be flawed Two of the most common flaws for job-seekers is failing to anticipate potential interview questions and not developing strategic responses to those questions.

9. Research and request informational interviews

One of the most underutilized tools of job-hunting is the informational interview. This tool is most useful when you are changing careers and trying to break into a new career field, but it is a technique all job-seeker can use. As the name implies, an informational interview is a request in which you seek to learn useful facts about a career, industry, or company.

10. Follow-up all pending job applications

Take the time today to contact all the employers with whom you have applied or had interviews. Most employers view follow-up as showing interest and a desire for the job, so do not be afraid to not only follow up today, but again next week and the week after (unless the employer tells you not to bother). Just remember to be professional and polite when contacting the employers.