The career world is constantly changing, and what works today might not work tomorrow. And there are quite a few new rules in the career world that you have to consider. At MentorCruise, we’ll provide some techniques to help the job search a lot easier and help you get a foot in the door. You’ll learn:
- The new rules of the career world
- The first steps to take when you’re looking for a job
- What to do when you’re applying to job listings but can’t seem to get any response
New rules of the career world
You don’t have to go to college to get a job.
College might be the right choice and the right path for some people but if you’re not one of them, that’s fine. Many companies are dropping college education from their requirements. You can also start your own business instead of going to college if you’re more entrepreneurial.
What you need is experience and a desire to learn. Upskill yourself by doing online courses and reading through industry blogs. Make sure to highlight relevant experiences relevant to the job listing.
You’ll spend less time at one job.
Job hopping is becoming more and more common. People who are hopping jobs are very self-aware and recognize when they are getting bored or ready for a new challenge. While we don’t advocate changing from one job to the next without much afterthought, you must understand that today’s job market is much more volatile and less focused on long-term employment. 2-year employment is increasingly becoming the norm.
You don’t have to start at the bottom to get to the top.
The so-called “escalator model” when you start at an entry-level job and then work your way to the top is outdated. Working at a company for several years and gaining experience doesn’t guarantee you promotions anymore, so don’t rely on it. You need to learn how to network effectively.
How you feel at your job has become more important than a good salary.
If you’re struggling financially, you might not have the luxury to turn down a good-paying job. However, make sure that you at least somewhat like what you do. No amount of money will compensate for feeling miserable and unhappy at your job every day.
You need to prepare yourself for the future. To do so, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you someone who can adapt, be flexible, pivot, and iterate?
- Do you see failure as a learning experience?
- Can you function in permanent “development mode,” not finished and constantly improving?
Are you prepared to learn more, do more, and grow more? At MentorCruise, we offer career coaching that will help you bypass many mistakes and understand the specific requirements to help you get a job you like.
The creative and entrepreneurial approach to job search
It can be challenging to get yourself to start job-hunting, especially if you’ve been unemployed for a while. Sometimes it can be even more difficult when you’ve just lost a job you loved, and you need to find yourself a new one.
In any scenario, you have to approach searching for a job with a creative and entrepreneurial strategy. Adopt a growth-oriented approach and start acting like you’re trying to launch a start-up.
The biggest challenges when you’re looking for a new job are always knowing where to start, how to get organized, and figuring out the most effective way to approach your job search. Here are a few steps that can help you make a confident jump into job-hunting.
#1. Figure out what you want and what you can offer
This may seem obvious, but in hindsight, you need to do this high-level thinking to bring some clarity to your job search. You can’t look for a job if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What is my purpose, what should I be doing with my life?
- What are my biggest passions? What do I believe in?
- How should I invest in myself?
- What am I good at?
- What are my past experiences?
- How can I make my interests relevant to my job pursuit?
Answering these questions might offer you some insight into your skillset, your wants, and your needs. They will help clarify your career aspirations, based on what you want and what you’re actually good at. Ideally, you want your career aspirations to lie at the intersection of your interests, skills and what people pay your for:
Skills, aspirations, and market realities influence your job search. When looking for a job, you need to leverage your skills, set yourself in the direction of your aspirations, and account for market realities.
#2. Write down a list of companies you want to apply to.
Create a Google sheet with companies you’re interested in. That way, you won’t have to look them up again when you are applying. Don’t forget to write down the name and email address of the person responsible for hiring. Here are some tips to find relevant companies:
- Google Search (BUSINESS TYPE) + companies in (PLACE).
- Go through LinkedIn recommendations.
- For software companies, search for Alternatives to X
Don’t let the fact that they are not currently hiring stop you. Companies are constantly growing and looking for new talent even if they are not actively hiring. Sending a well-thought-out resume and cover letter might get you an interview regardless of their current hiring situation. Adding them to your active LinkedIn profile may even boost the chances of success.
#3. Perform effective job description analysis.
It will help you provide an overview of the fundamental requirements of any job position you’re applying to. Search for employees who have the job position you want on LinkedIn and look through their relevant experiences. List relevant keywords that you can apply to your resume.
Why keywords matter - The ATS
Application tracking systems automatically filter out irrelevant applications. ATS is used by over 90 % of employers to sort resume submissions. Most ATS are designed to scan resumes for work experience, skills, education, and other relevant information through keyword analysis. Your resume might not be ATS compliant.
To combat this, your application needs to contain relevant keywords that can be found in the application.
#4. Update your resume.
Often we don’t give enough attention to our resume. Update your resume with the skills and experience you gained from your previous jobs, and don’t forget to include as many numbers, facts, and statistics as possible.
Make the data relevant to the job posting you’re applying for. Use the keywords you’ve found in your analysis and include them in your resume. Of course, the more specific your resume can be to the position you’re applying for, the better.
#5. Update your social media.
There is a good chance that people, who will be looking at your resume, might do a Google search on you and check out your personal and professional online profiles before offering you a job.
Start this step with a thorough social media audit and ensure that all your profiles don’t have any inappropriate photos or posts you don’t want other people to see.
Keep in mind that they might also check your online comments, so avoid engaging in online debates and avoid posting comments that might come across as racist, homophobic, or otherwise offensive.
#6. Be active on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram or other relevant social media platforms with a personal brand
Your personal brand differentiates you from others. It signals who you are, what you believe in, what you stand for, what your accomplishments are, and what you’re capable of achieving.
A good personal brand has the foundation in answers to the following questions. What are your core values? Why are you unique? What motivates you to get out of bed? What are you passionate about?
Part of the entrepreneurial search to job search is to engage with your target industry by being active on social media. You can do this by:
- Adding and interacting with relevant folks in your industry on LinkedIn or other social platforms.
- Go through their most popular posts and list the topics they tackle.
- Devise a content calendar using this research and put your spin on the topics.
Why can it be challenging to find a job?
Sometimes the reason why you can’t find a job has nothing or very little to do with you, and it has to do with circumstances out of your control.
Sometimes companies simply aren’t hiring.
Many companies and hiring managers sometimes, sadly, don’t have any intention to fill the position, or they often decide to fill the situation by making internal shifts inside the company. Other times companies are simply building a resume base for when they are hiring.
Companies can be overly selective.
Often you can see job postings and, after reading the requirements, think to yourself that it would be easier to find a unicorn than a job. The requirements can often be entirely out of touch with the reality of the job market.
If you need help with finding the job of your dreams, join MentorCruise
There is no shame in admitting that you need the help of a career coach or career consultant. A good career consultant can help you achieve all of your career goals. They will help you with your resume, evaluate your skills, qualities, and help you find your interests.
Don’t hesitate and go after the job or career of your dreams. Get mentoring from a trained, experienced expert & be on the career track you want to be. Apply today!