6 Tips for a Smart Job Search
Posted April 2nd, 2012
When looking for a job, you can work smart, work hard – or both! Here’s how to conduct a “smart” job search.
- Know where you want to go. Don’t go looking for “anything.” Instead, sit and have a talk with yourself and decide, based on your skills, background and goals, what kind of job you want and what kind of company you want to work for (large, small, government, start-up, etc.). Recruiters will toss into the “round file” the resumes of people who are looking for “a company/position where my skills will put to good use.” Be specific!
- Distinguish yourself from the pack. Recruiters today are looking for specialists, especially in the tech arena. Look for jobs in which you have considerable experience (if you want to change careers, it can be done, but you’ll have to work hard to showing a hiring manager how your skills translate to his or her open position). Show a recruiter/hiring manager how you stand out from others with your background and skills.
- Use social media to your advantage, or else the recruiter will use it for his. Recruiters today almost always check out your Facebook/LinkedIn/Twitter feeds. Make sure yours present you in the best, most professional light. In fact, craft your social media presence to showcase your skills and background.
- Always have an answer for why you left your previous position. This is especially important if you’ve had three jobs in four years, for example. There should be a compelling, legitimate reason for leaving a job, such as taking a position with more responsibility, the company shut down, leaving employment to take care of a sick relative, even taking a year to explore the world (be sure to show how your year-long journey has made you an even more attractive prospect to the hiring manager – you took classes in Joomla in Britain, you learned a French, etc.).
- Present yourself in interviews and in networking situations as professional. Craft the “30-second elevator speech” that succinctly yet thoroughly explains the skills and assets you bring to an employer.
- Bring your resume to Bayside Solutions. We’re the Bay Area’s top staffing firm for IT and other technical professionals, offering you many temporary, temp-to-hire and direct-hire assignments with some of San Francisco’s top firms. Contact us today!
