Searching for a job is a difficult task. I often find myself thinking that searching for a full-time job is in and of itself a full-time job, only you’re not getting paid for your efforts. If you are truly in need of a job, and fast, then chances are you are hitting the job boards everyday searching for open positions that match your desired job title. You are writing multiple cover letters a day and tweaking your resume to fit the job description.
However, the way you are applying and searching may actually deter your jobs search in the long run. There are many things you could do to make the most of your job search and to ensure that you are putting your best self forward. Take a look at some of these tips, and if needed, change your resume or applying method so you can find the perfect job for you and get hired.
References
A while back, Spark News posted an article discussing how references can actually hurt your chances of getting the job. If you have your references listed on your resume, you should consider replacing them with “References Available Upon Request.” Here’s why. If you have been searching for a job for a long time and keep your references the same, they may not be fully prepared when a recruiter or employer contacts them for information on you. You may have asked them a couple months ago for a reference and they were more than happy to provide. However, if months have passed since, they may have forgotten about you or the work you provided for them. If you want to continue to use them as a reference, it is better to have them in your own personal file and when the time comes to actually use them as a reference, contact them and ask them again if they will provide a good reference for you. That way, when a company contacts them, they are 100 percent prepared to answer any questions about you.
Furthermore, you should make sure that your references are good references. If you aren’t completely positive that this person is going to give you a good reference, then you should consider not using them. Any kind of negative response or unsure response from them can turn a company off of you, so you want to be completely sure that these references back you 100 percent.
Find Your Niched Market
Searching in generalities can bring thousands of jobs up. However, if you search for specific, niched jobs your results will be stronger and closer to what you actually want. For instance, if you are searching for a position in retail it would be much better for you to specify in your search exactly what it is you want. Using the keywords “Assistant Retail Manager” will yield many more positions specific to your needs than if you simply searched “Retail.” Finding a more niched industry heightens your chances of getting that job, but competition for these niched positions also tends to increase, so be ready to bring your “A” game right off the bat.
Consider Your Search Radius
When looking for a job, you obviously don’t want to apply for jobs that you feel are too far away from you, but you should definitely consider branching out a bit farther than your current search results. For instance, if you are only searching for jobs that are in a 15 mile radius of your location, there may be tons of jobs available to you that are just 20 miles out of from your location but you can’t see them because your search radius is weeding them out. When searching, add a couple more miles to your search radius, if nothing more than to see what jobs are available out there. In the grand scheme of things, if you happen to find a great job that you love and its 25 miles away rather than your desired 15-20 radius, what’s five more extra miles of travel? Of course, the travel is something you will have to consider on your own, but you should at least broaden your search so you can see what is available.
Make Spark Hire Your Primary Job Search Platform
Spark Hire is one of the newest and best ways to get your resume and your face out there in the job market. With video integration, you can add a video to your profile telling employers why you are the best candidate for their job. You can show your communication skills, personality and qualifications all on your profile video. Even better, if a company is interested in you, you can interview with them right from your computer at home.
With Spark Hire your job search is greatly simplified because you can do everything from search, apply and interview all on the same platform. To start making the most of your job search sign up with Spark Hire today and start using their video integration to find your dream job today!
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