The world is changing quickly in ways that are supposed to make life easier. The problem is that if you’re not keeping up, things like job searches are going to get intimidating pretty fast.
If you’re new to the workforce or it’s been a while since you’ve had to search for a new job, you have a few challenges in front of you. But, like all of our recent evolutions, they are designed to streamline the employee hunt. You may just need to change your approach for that to happen.
This guide will show you how to adjust your current job search perspective and use the tools that are out there to find your next career step.
1. You Have a Network; Use It
Most of the population (more specifically, over 4.5 billion people) have social media. Using the Six Degrees of Separation theory, you’re connected to someone who is connected to someone who can help you find your dream job.
If no one but you and your tight inner circle knows your goals, having this connection doesn’t benefit you — or the company that could use your expertise.
Figure out your career goals, including what you want to do and what is important to you. For instance, if you’re an emergency room cardiologist, you may want better hours without the responsibility of owning a clinic.
When you pinpoint your goal, share it with your network. Yes, your current job might be less than thrilled that you’re looking elsewhere, but it could be good if they try to negotiate with you and keep you there.
If you’re interested, take the terms to your physician contract lawyer, and see what you can work out to make all parties happy.
In the worst-case scenario, your intention is to leave anyway. Sharing the plan with your network can get you out of there faster.
2. Skip the Classifieds
Dozens of apps swear they can link quality candidates with their ideal employers. The only problem with this is that many businesses leave their “help wanted” ads up long after filling the position.
You can, and should, use your online tools to search, but don’t go straight to an app. Head to the job search feature on Google, enter your specific keywords and let the search engine curate the results.
For our cardiologist example, you’d use “cardiologist jobs Dallas, TX” to pull up the listings from that area. When you find a job you’re interested in, don’t apply yet. Look up the company on your social networks and see if you have any connections there that could help you with the application process.
Join the #Hashtagcraze
Use the hashtag search feature to review the company, too. This is an easy way to check the atmosphere of a business before you spend time applying and interviewing. As an example, #appleemployees pulls up all the recent headlines regarding mega-corporation Apple as a company to work for. Read through what the employees and clients have to say about a business. You may change your mind about applying or get excited about the potential!
3. Switch to a Video Resume
Resumes and CVs in paper and digital formats are old-school. Tech-savvy job searchers are moving to video resumes instead.
You’ve noticed by now that video is replacing text content on news sites, and there’s a video explanation for almost everything you search. As the song says, “video killed the radio star” long ago, and now it’s taking over traditional text formats.
A video resume shares the same information that you’d insert in your document in a live-action method. It allows potential employers the opportunity to see and hear you, feel your passion for the job, and appreciate your innovativeness.
Most people have never done a video resume before, but there are lots of advantages to starting now. For one thing, you can explain any oddities in your document.
Even better, it takes a bit of the stress of an interview away because the hiring managers already know what you’re like, and they like you enough to request a meeting.
Conclusion
When it’s time for you to join the job search world, check out the changes before you start submitting applications. You may need to revise your approach, and these three tips will move you in the right direction.
