Summary:
If you are here to learn how to get a job, you are at the right place. The greatest reward for your efforts and time is getting an opportunity to build a satisfying career after finishing your university education.
The same goes if you completed highly demanding courses. Nothing beats this feeling. More so, when your job search process is fast and seamless, achieving this can be challenging.
If you want to learn to make the job recruitment process fast and seamless, you are also at the right place.
Getting selected for the desired role among the seas of applicants and competition is one of the best feelings in the world. It shows the hiring manager recognizes you as a valuable addition to their organization. That’s a remarkable sign.
You are a top talent with impressive skills, no doubt. But the truth is, other candidates with sufficient expertise and work experience are interested in the same career path you envision. They share similar career aspirations to yours.
They want the same position you are applying for in the same company. To be frank, some can even be more qualified than you.
However, statistics show that only 1 in 10 Americans get their dream roles, meaning that only 10 out of 100 job seekers live their dream and experience day-to-day happiness at their workplaces.
Over the years, we have seen some “once passionate” job hunters give up on their dreams and settle for less — frustrating and unrewarding career paths — due to the competitive work market. The rest, they say, is history.
Thankfully, that won’t be your job search experience.
With our step-by-step guide at your fingertips, you can significantly boost your chances of landing your dream role, even if it is your first time applying for jobs. It works like magic.
Ready to pursue your dream and ultimately get hired for a job that excites you to jump out of bed every workday?
Let’s get you on your way to becoming the 1 out of 10 in the next couple of weeks.
People (including hiring managers) seek solutions to their issues. They are more inclined to employ a person actively working on solving those problems rather than someone who could only potentially.
Mastering the Art of Getting Jobs in Record Time
One of the most searched-for career-related questions on Google and other search engines is “How To Get A Job?” This shows that now and then, fresh graduates are looking for their first job, stale graduates are trying to find a job, and experienced workers are chasing greener pastures or a fresh start in a new industry. Hence, the competition is as fierce as ever. Only those with an edge come out on top, leaving others in the dust.
If you want to begin your job hunt on the right foot or are tired of repeatedly trying the same approach with no worthwhile result, NOW is an excellent time to get insights into maneuvering the workforce market.
Luckily, you’re at the perfect spot where we position you in a way that makes landing your dream job seems like a walk in the park—Maybe not that easy because you still need to put in some effort, but you get the gist. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll be throwing light on:- Understanding the Job Search Market
- Crafting an Effective Resume
- Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile for Job Searches
- Preparing for an Interview
- Negotiating your first salary like a pro
- Follow-ups
How to Get a Job Anywhere, Faster (Understanding Job Search)!
1. Determine the Job Role You Want
There’s no better place to begin than setting your mind on a specific job and going all out to get it. But how do you decide the role you want or find a befitting job that leaves you without regret? It is simple.- Reflect on what you want in life.
- Where do you see yourself in the future (5 to 10 years from now)?
- Vividly describe where you want to be and paint the picture with enthusiasm.
Analyzing Current Job Trends
Over the years, the hiring process has evolved. You must acquaint yourself with the current job trends and stay ahead of the curve when looking for a job.
Here are a few job trends we have noticed that have become mainstays in many industries:
- Use of Remote or Online Interview(s)
- Use of Artificial Intelligence (A.I) and Software Technology
- Use of Analytics (Data-Driven Decision Making)
- Use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
- Assessing Compatibility of Candidates’ Competencies, Certain Skills, and Other Attributes
Be conscious of what’s happening in your industry by keeping up with these trends during your job search or interview process.
An Example:
Finding opportunities or job positions at a tech company with computer science degree (an academic discipline) may be more challenging, and the options are limited. Some have even had to advance their careers by enrolling in higher or advanced classes to increase their chances.
However, when you become a front-end developer (a real-world professional position) or any software-related skill, you have many opportunities to explore, and the responses you will get when applying for relevant positions will be higher.
This is a good match that can help get you a job faster.
Identify High-Demand Industries
High Demand Industries are fast-growing industries with high job rates. The last thing you want is to look for your dream job in places with little to no need for your service. Keep your eyes peeled for industries that welcome you with open arms to avoid a square peg-in-round holes scenario.
For example, the shipping and delivery industry is undoubtedly one of the high-demand industries in today’s world. They always need more hands to help provide premium satisfaction to their new and existing customers.
This is an excellent industry to consider if you are an administrative personnel, clerk, communications consultant, delivery driver, lead generation specialist, marketing manager, or material handler.
Recognize the Impact of Geographical Location on Job Opportunities
Location can sometimes be the stumbling block between you and your desired job. You may have to decide to stay put or leave your present job, familiar environment, family, or friend behind to focus on pursuing your dreams.
According to Enrico Moretti, your destination might significantly depend on your readiness to relocate. He couldn’t have said it any better. Reaching for the star is no easy feat.
For instance, the chances of getting a monthly six-figure salary may be higher in a metropolitan city than in a small town, thanks to their fast-paced working environment.
When an opportunity like this comes knocking, you must weigh your options and make the right call — to leave and abandon your friends or stay put.
For example,
I remember a few years ago when my friend had this golden job opportunity to keep working in his current company or to relocate to another country to start a new job with much better pay and incentives. Sadly, he had to relocate to a distant country to make it happen. Did he regret the decision? I can’t tell. But one thing is certain — it was one of the most complex decisions of his life.
2. Be on the Lookout for Job Listings (Posted by Hiring Managers)
Aggressively start searching for job listings by looking at places like:
- General Job Board Site: Job sites like Glassdoor, Google, Indeed, Monster, and ZipRecruiter can open your eyes to findings opportunities at small, medium, and large companies. Many jobs with the required specific role(s) can be found here
That said, this job-seeking option has one downside — you may read that it isn’t specific. While you are almost sure to find jobs that catch your eye with this job listing option, you can’t rule out the chances of coming across job posts that don’t align with your interest or niche.
- Niche Job Boards: If the general job board sites come across as burdensome, you can turn to niche job boards like Authentic Jobs, Dribble, The Muse, Upwork, and SnagAJob to find jobs that align with your passion.
- It is also worth noting that some general job sites, such as Indeed and ZipRecruiter double as niche job board websites, depending on how you navigate them.
- Company Websites: Got any company you’ll love to work in? If yes, check their sites frequently to search for your desired job opening.
3. Create a Top-level LinkedIn Profile for Your Job Search
Some people believe that LinkedIn is just another social media platform where people go to socialize and catch fun. Don’t make that mistake as well.
LinkedIn is both a social media platform and a job site. How you use it will determine whether you can fully tap into its potential. This platform can be a game changer once you know how it works.
First, you need to prioritize your LinkedIn optimization to position you best.
Optimizing Your Profile on LinkedIn for Job Searches
As Kofi Annan said, “Knowledge is (potential) power. Information is liberating.”
LinkedIn can link you up with suitable job suitors and reduce the timeframe in getting the job. But first, you need to learn optimization techniques for your profile on LinkedIn.
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile ensures employers searching for specific skills are more likely to find your resume. The more targeted your LinkedIn profile is to your job search, the more likely you will get a reply from an employer, hiring manager, or recruiter.
Tips for Creating an Attractive Profile on LinkedIn
Here are a few tips on how to complete your profile:
- Upload a professional headshot
- Upload a catchy cover photo
- Highlight your relevant skills, ability, or offer in your headline
- Write a compelling summary with industry keywords
- Insert images in the subsection
- Fill out the work experience section (you can include your volunteer work)
- Provide details for all other sections
- Ask for recommendations
- Get people to endorse your skills
- Talk about your project-oriented initiatives and interests
- Publish a few articles containing industry-related details and keywords
- Join LinkedIn Groups to reach out to more people
- Customize Your Profile URL
Alternatively, you can optimize your profile with our free LinkedIn profile builder and use the online resume builder to create your best resume and cover letter.
Furthermore, you can use our LinkedIn summary templates for top performers who want greater visibility on LinkedIn, as it can help you get your dream job faster.
The Role of LinkedIn in Modern Job Hunting
LinkedIn can help you to:- Build a quality connection and improve your network of professionals who can help you get into the industry and progress. You can easily connect with the company’s employees you want to work for
- Build your social media presence, positioning you as a force to reckon with
- Get discovered by job suitors that align with your job search
- Gain recommendations, endorsements from friends and leads
- Access entry-level jobs they need to build your professional portfolio
- Acquire important information during company research
- Interact with potential clients, hiring managers, and recruiters looking for potential job candidates
- Access additional resources or programs that can develop your career and make them perform more.
4. Connect with Tons of Relevant Professionals on LinkedIn (Including the Hiring Manager)
One of LinkedIn’s most excellent perks is access to top talents with like minds and professionals in your chosen industry with similar careers.
Meeting with these professionals can help you land a job referral quicker. Also, consider networking with your employers and internal recruiters. You can seek their advice on how to go about the application process and best way to increase your chances.
There’s power in building reliable LinkedIn connections. Nevertheless, there is a right and wrong approach to how you go about this.
Networking on LinkedIn: Dos and Don’ts
Eager to start networking on LinkedIn? Get to know the Dos and Don’ts.You need to failproof your plans and templates to aid you in how to connect on LinkedIn with people currently working for your desired company/role.
5. Identify Target Companies [Focus on Job Description(s)]
For you to find your target companies, you must know how to seek them out. Many of these companies do not advertise or publicize sensitive job openings or important particular role(s). Hence, they are known as the hidden job market.
How to get into the Hidden Job Market
Here are helpful tips on how you can tap into this job market:
- Check with your existing contacts
- Find and involve yourself in the networking groups’ conversation
- Leverage professional organizations
- Remain active on your socials
- Build relationships with both internal and external recruiters
- Reach out to companies directly to inquire about new job openings
- Attend job fairs or meetings
Here’s a little secret: The hidden market is where the game-changing opportunities lie.
Prepare yourself using a value validation project (VVP), your unique marketing tool, to impress hiring managers.
Speaking of VVP, coming up with a VVP is not a small feat, but when you successfully find a gap in the company that your VVP proposal can bridge, it can immediately skyrocket your chances of landing more interviews. And it passes a message that you are ready for your new role.
We recommend following these tips to create a punchy VVP that recruiters can connect to on a deeper level:
- Carry out in-depth research on the organization. Learn as much as you can about them
- Emphasize the pain point you discovered in the company
- Suggest effective solutions that you can customize to give the company a much-needed lift
- Prove with substantial evidence how you got the game-changing ideas and why you’re the best fit to execute your suggested idea.
Send the document to the company once you have these four points on lock. This proactiveness can improve your chances.
VVP works a treat for three reasons:
- Only a handful of job seekers leverage VVP
- You can drive home your message on your terms and in your words
- You are providing irresistible value to a company in dire need of what you bring to the table, positioning yourself as the go-to employee they need to move forward.
6. Your CV Must Demonstrate Your Wowing Factor
Imagine hearing these exact words from the recruiter at your forthcoming interview: Wow! Your CV is mind-blowing. What can I say? I’m impressed.”
Trust me, you are already one step in the door.
Your CV or resume is key in getting you closer to your dream role. If you get your CV right, you will blow the minds of recruiters.
Crafting an Effective Resume
To successfully land your dream role, you must possess the desired skills, attractive personal branding, necessary qualifications, and work experience.
Employers and recruiters always look to hire people that can stand out in a tough job market. People with the required transferable skills and can provide much-needed solutions.
Fortunately, you can position yourself as the problem solver a company needs by creating an irresistible identity with your resume.
Your CV or resume is a valuable sales tool. Use it to your advantage. Ensure you highlight your transferable skills + technical knowledge, + measurable results in every bullet point as employers seek results.
Aligning your CV or resume with the status quo won’t cut it. You need to be creative and think out of the box to get a job.
Let’s briefly discuss the elements behind a CV or resume with the wow factor.
Essential Elements of a Successful Resume
Every successful resume that wins the heart of any employer, hiring manager, or recruiter and helps you get a job possesses the following elements:·
- An ideal format and layout·
- Your contact detail
- An informative heading
- A clear career objective (summary)
- Educational qualification
- Your abilities, and valuable skills, highlight your transferable skills, technical skills, previous work experience, projects, training, and achievements
- Awards/certifications
- Additional information that describes your person, such as your career goals and fluent languages. Extracurricular activities, hobbies, interests, and volunteering experiences are others.
- Handy credible references
Once you tick all of these boxes after writing your resume, you can proofread it, and you are good to go.
But if you would like to optimize your CV and stand out from the crowd, you can pick the brains of the best in the CV and resume creation business and watch us perform our magic on your resume.
Alternatively, you can quickly and easily build your resume with our free resume builder. Also, learn more about writing a resume that recruiters love and helps you get a job.
How To Tailor Your Resume for Different Job Applications
What do you do when applying to different organizations with contrasting demands or requirements?
Write another resume from scratch? That will eat into your time and, sometimes, your money. So, what’s the alternative?
Simple. Tailor your resume to suit the job description at different organizations.
Need real-life examples of how to tailor your resume without struggles? Go here.
7. Create an Attention-grabbing, Targeted Cover Letter
You may not require a cover letter in your application. However, if the need arises, make it count by submitting an impressive resume and cover letter.
Most people submit poorly written or generic cover letters. Here is some advice for you: Don’t do that. You can easily lose recruiters by doing that.
To win the cover letter game in your competitive job hunt, you must cut through the noise and grab the recruiter’s attention within a split second with your introduction. You need to immediately show why you a good fit and why the recruiter should hire you.
One of the most effective ways to do this is by avoiding generic title. You need to be creative. And this is where getting assistance from experts comes into play.
Discover the secrets to writing an outstanding cover letter. Create yours with the CVJury Cover Letter Builder. Take your pick from 16 different cover letter situations to suit your need.
We handle thousands of CVs, resumes, and cover letters as Dot Net Developer and IT employment sector recruiters.
Benefit from our expert knowledge, relevant experience, and insight into the current job market. NOW is the best time to upgrade your current resume, CV, and cover letter since you might have to submit one sooner rather than later.
Discover How to Pass Interviews
Getting a job is challenging. You must ensure you are doing the right things and learning from experts and dream job hunters — who came, saw, and conquered.
And then, you have to deal with multiple interviews, including the initial interview stage.
But let’s be honest; it doesn’t mean much if you lack communication skills and struggle to deliver when in the hot seat.
If you get it wrong, how can you convince hiring managers or recruiters that you’re the ideal candidate to fit into the company’s culture and help them achieve the desired success?
Preparing for an Interview
A saying goes, “Today’s preparation = tomorrow’s success.” This framework accurately describes your interview.
An interview is an opportunity to make a good first impression and leave a mark on your potential employers. So, make sure you’re highly motivated and prepared to give it your best shot.
The Art of Pre-Interview Research
Prepare! Prepare!! Prepare!!!
Want to capture the heart of a recruiter? Prove that you have the requirements and demonstrate your expertise in line with what the company wants. Show that you are the ideal candidate for the role. This is how you win.
Capturing the recruiter’s heart is an art. You can only achieve this by carrying out in-depth research about the company.
So, here are a few things to look for during your pre-interview research
- The experience and technical skills the organization values
- Their target audience, products, and services
- The interviewer (if possible)
- Their mission statement
- Their history
- Their competitors
- Their projects
- Their unique selling proposition
- Their culture
- Their leadership
- Their job description
Researching the company’s information will help you gain confidence ahead of the big day. Make it a date to remember.
Commonly Asked Interview Questions and How To Answer Them
Let’s briefly talk about three consistent questions that interviewers are likely to ask in job interviews and how to respond to them:
Q1: Tell me about yourself
A: Tell stories. Tell an intriguing story about yourself that draws in the interviewer. Ensure it has a captivating beginning, a suspense-filled middle, and an impressive ending that makes you an interviewer’s favorite.
Q2: How did you hear about this position?
A: Answer this question with enthusiasm. Give the interviewer the impression that you always had eyes on a job of this magnitude and have always been preparing for that exact moment. Hence, when you saw it or heard about it on whatever platform, sending in your job application was a no-brainer.
Q3: How do you handle the pressure?
Answer: Emphasize how you recognize that pressure is inevitable in any workplace. Tell them about situations at home, work, or wherever when you were under pressure but found ways to make things work.
And assure them you’ll bring the same energy to work by remaining calm and collected amidst pressure to help the company achieve its goals.
Explain how you are a team player and how you bring out the best in each team member.
Dressing Appropriately for Interviews
Your dressing speaks volumes. All your interview preparation can go down the drain if you enter an interview room inappropriately dressed. This is why it can be the defining moment for you in the eyes of an employer.
Also, ensure the colors of your dress match. This can boost your confidence level as well. For example, you can wear a white shirt with black trousers, shoes, a belt, and a black tie. Always remember the same belt, same shoe rule.
Sometimes, the employer may have a dressing code communicated to those coming for the interview. All you have to do is adhere to the instructions.
Yet, in other cases, you can look your best for an interview doing the following:
- Brush your teeth
- Keep your hair tidy
- Wear a suit jacket, button-down shirt, and a nice tie (for males)
- Wear a button-down shirt and sweater (for males)
- Wear a statement dress (for females)
- Wear a blouse or dress pants (for females)
The Right Interview Etiquette
After getting your dressing for the interview on point, here is some advice: Ensure every word you speak is worth its weight in gold.
Sell yourself with laudable dexterity by visualizing how you will use your skillset and services to expand the company’s network and make them more productive.
Show them you’re job-ready by talking the talk and walking the talk. Stay confident, speak audibly, and articulate every word confidently.
Sit upright and maintain eye contact as you strike the right notes. It gives the impression that you’re assured, attentive, polite, professional, confident, and trustworthy.
This way, you give your potential employer food for thought and stand a better chance of getting the job you want.
There’s more to nailing an interview than meets the eye. But not to worry, we can help you crack the code.
Do you want access to all the necessary information to prepare effective interview strategies and tactics that assure a pleasant interviewing experience?
Get started with our specially developed 30-60-90-day plan and SARI (Situation, Action, Result, Interesting Feature) strategy to get the result you expect.
9. Negotiate Your First Salary Like a Pro
Want to increase the amount stated on the job offer letter by 5-15%? Let’s get you ready to negotiate your salary like a pro.
Understanding Job Offers and Benefits
Receiving job offers from a company is proof that they are interested in what you have to offer. A job offer includes the new role or position, terms and conditions, job description and responsibilities. Others include start date, employment duration, expected work hours, and other details.
Go through the offer, check if there is anything you are not comfortable with. For example, the working schedule, you can then professionally bring the issue up and discuss it with the authorized personnel.
Accepting the offer and signing it by implication means you are comfortable with everything on that offer letter including benefits.
Benefits are the icing that gives workers a much better working experience. They may include health insurance, life insurance, paid time off, sick leave, etc.
Note that these offers and benefits vary from one employer to another.
Effective Strategies for Salary Negotiation
One thing you should have in mind before your interview is that both parties — job seeker and employee — want a favorable deal and will always look out for their best interest.
We know that getting a job can be arduous, and you can be tempted to accept the first offer that your potential employer brings to the table. Walking away at this stage is hard, no doubt, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for less. Negotiate well. You’re expected to negotiate.
The fact is, you’re entitled to a negotiation process. Negotiate a favorable deal that aligns with your interest if you’re uncomfortable with the company’s initial offer or benefits. You can briefly explain why you are not comfortable with the initial proposition.
However, keep your cool and be realistic with your figures — don’t go over the top with your counter proposition. This can be a serious deal breaker for some.
Salary negotiation is a two-way street. Hence, ultimately, both parties should be on the same page and leave the negotiation table with smiles of satisfaction.
Learn more about the required tactics to negotiate your salary like a pro. Also, discover how to leverage personal connections and get job referrals to land jobs quickly.
10. Follow-ups
Most people underrate follow-ups and are not aware of it’s power. Most job hunters do not deem it fit to follow up on jobs after an interview, thanks to this assumption: “If they are interested in hiring me, they will reach out to me.”
This is why they sit back and wait, hoping for feedback or responses. Wrong move. Don’t just hope for a call or an offer letter; follow up.
In a 2021 study, most employers (68%) admitted that job hunters who didn’t contact them after an interview ruined their chances. Stop such a mistake preventing you from getting job you want.
Imagine working to ace your interview only to get rejected because you didn’t follow up. Sounds unfair, right? Indeed, it’s a tough world out there.
Now, you’re probably wondering why follow-ups are a big deal and why these decision-makers take such drastic action when they don’t get any follow-up letter or email.
The Power of Follow-ups
Here are three reasons follow-ups are important:
Sending a follow-up or thank you note to appreciate them for granting you an audience is a courtesy. Employers need workers with positive mindsets and ideal work ethics. Therefore, if you don’t send one, you’ll come across as an individual with poor drive and motivation.
Follow-up messages give you another opportunity to sell yourself by emphasizing key moments during the interview that can work in your favor, your qualifications, and your skill set.
Follow-up messages scream, “I’m interested in this role and qualified to help the company achieve its goals.” Show them you mean business.
Importantly, don’t send a follow-up message immediately after you get home. Instead, take time out to reflect on the interview and what you aim to achieve once you push the email send button. The best time to send a follow-up mail is the next five days.
Get Your Dream Job In a Matter of Time: Use Your Magic Wand
At this point, you can proudly say, “I know all it takes to get a job anywhere like magic.” Yet, it’s one thing to know and another to put into action. Become an action-taker today.
Apply these job hunt best practice(s) and bring your dreams to life faster than you ever imagined.
Whenever you get this dream role, pat yourself on the back because it is evidence that your hard work paid off. Success in advance!
This might interest you…
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Now, that’s what we bring to the table at CVJury. We have got you covered if you want to get more informational interviews.
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How?
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