10 Important Things You Must Do Before Applying For A Job

Instead of applying for the job right away, it’s important stop for a few minutes to carefully read the job posting and think of it as a lead. This process will help you form a better strategy for your job application that will get you noticed by the employer. Getting a few things in place before you start sending applications out can help set you up for success.

That’s why we’ve collected some key things to think about and do at the very start of your job search—to make sure that it ends with an offer in hand.

1. Before you send out any applications, you should do a little work on your online reputation to make sure it’s up to hiring managers’ par.

2. This is the one most important thing you can do on LinkedIn before you start clicking “apply” on some of those job listings.

3. Giving some thought to these three things will make that job hunt go much more smoothly.

4. Here’s why asking yourself what you’re optimizing for before you get started will help you go in the right direction.

5. Soul searching might be just as essential to your job search.

6. Before you start looking for new opportunities, figure out how you really feel about your current job.

7. If you’re currently employed but looking for your next job, make sure to get your strategy in place ahead of time to avoid getting found out by your current boss.

8. Figure out employers’ needs. Think of this phase as the market research you need to do before you are ready to launch your campaign.

9. Figure out what you have to offer an employer. If you are in midcareer and simply want to do what you’ve been doing somewhere else, or you want take a step forward in a linear path, this may seem obvious

10. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Collaborate. Find others who are going through what you are experiencing, and learn from each other.