Today’s job market is brutal, but thankfully there are plenty of resources available to help you make the most of your job hunt. Searching for work is very much an online activity these days, but here are six ways to make sure you’re getting the most out of the web.
1) Prioritise your search
There are countless job-posting websites, finding the right one for you is important to save you time and effort. Before diving head-first into a random website, visit a few to prioritise the one that is most relevant to you and your job hunt. Lensa is a great job seeking guide you can try.
Chances are, you will utilise several of them before you find the right job, but investing your time in the right site first can help you find it faster.
Sometimes large, all-encompassing websites are the right choice. However, if you are looking within a specific industry like teaching, it might be worth seeing what industry or job-specific websites there are out there, as these might be more suitable.
Once you’ve found the right website for you, quickly sift through the never-ending flow of information by looking at simple things like the date the job was posted, application deadline, and geographic location.
This will help you save a lot of time reading 5-page job descriptions just to realize the deadline passed six months ago.
2) Google Yourself
After handing in your CV or job application, a future employer’s next impression of you will be based on material available about you online. A recent survey by Harris Interactive found that 39% of companies use social networking sites to research job candidates and 43% of those said they have found information that has caused them not to hire a candidate.
Make sure you know what material they can see and that it represents you in a favourable way. If you end up finding questionable content, try to remove it as quickly as possible. Although this isn’t a new concept, it’s important to constantly monitor your online presence.
3) Use LinkedIn to your advantage
Many have already realised that LinkedIn can be an amazing resource during the job hunting process, and the social network recently lowered their age requirement from 18 to 13, making it available to students and young adults.
LinkedIn allows you to find out more information about a company and any potential interviewers, ensuring you bring up the right talking points and making a good, lasting impression.
LinkedIn also has job postings available to members directly on their website, so you can see relevant job openings and apply for them.
Additionally, companies are increasingly allowing applicants to upload their LinkedIn profile as part of their applications, so make sure that you update your profile often and use it to your advantage during the application process.
4) Create a personalised website
Creating a website that offers more detailed information about you can make you stand out from other applicants. Include the link to your website on your CV and cover letter and make hiring managers take a second look.
You have complete control over all aspects of your website and can therefore make sure that it represents you in the most favourable way possible. This can easily get you noticed, but as with your LinkedIn profile, it is important to keep this updated and accurate.
5) Use a personalised email address
Similarly, having a unique email specific to you, such as [email protected], can make a strong impression on your CV, making you look professional and setting you apart from your competition.
Although this might seem minor, in the end every little thing can help; it could be the difference between getting a call back and being ignored.
6) Check the company’s website
Checking a company’s website is useful for so many reasons. It gives you an immense amount of information about the company and will also link to further resources such as their social media profiles and more.
If you are eager to work at a specific company, you can sometimes find contact information on their website that you can use to get in touch with the firm directly to see if they have any unlisted vacancies, for example. This can help you indicate your interest in the company and give you a foot in the door.
A lot of companies will also have some kind of subscription service to allow you to stay updated on their job openings. Make use of these, especially if they allow you to target specific departments or geographic locations to make it more relevant to you.
These tips should come in handy whether you’re looking for a first job, or a new position. What are you top job hunting tips? Tell us in the comments below.
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