So, you have gained a couple of years of job experience and feel you’ve learnt whatever there was to learn in this role and that it’s time to move on. If you are not very sure how to structure your job search, here is a roadmap that will help you do so.
research well
As you have gained some work experience, your job search preparation is bound to be different. Unlike in a fresher job interview, there would be less questions on qualifications and more on your job roles and responsibilities. Study the different types of job descriptions for identical positions with different companies that you are targeting. Create the list of companies you want to work with, research what they do, and whether they have any opening matching your skills. Seek influencers who can help you with your first job change. Check out what kind of competencies and behavioral attitudes companies are looking for in a candidate. Try to gain some insider views of their interview process as well. Read a company’s annual reports to know what areas they are focusing on and how you can align your skills with that vision.
perfect your resume
Your resume is your value statement and you need to project your educational qualifications and work experience clearly. As an experienced professional, you need to highlight your job experiences first and push down educational qualifications towards the bottom of the resume. Employers will be more interested in your job performance than the educational background. You also need to start preparing some role-based job interview answers too – such as how you have used a particular skill to solve a particular problem in your current company.
Highlight the important parts.If you want to ensure top-of-the-mind recall in the minds of recruiters, use the applicant tracking system to your advantage. Find out the key skills that you’d need on your resume and highlight them for instant attraction.
Bonus tip:These keywords can also help with applicant tracking systems
network more
Build a large and strong network of professional contacts who can uncover job leads for you. Network both in person and online to give a stronger push to your job-search process. Reach out to new people and influencers and keep expanding your network. Networking also means getting in touch with people in your circle who are also job-hunting. Not only can they give you information regarding job listings, but also provide an insider view of the interviews they have attended. The more you network, the more you will be able to create job opportunities.
try some unconventional methods
Research reveals that 80% of job openings are unlisted. This simply goes to prove that conventional job search methods are not going to work and you need to try some unconventional methods. Advertise yourself more creatively and network better. Use social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter as job search tools. For instance, you can create a professional contact list from your primary Facebook friends list to strengthen job search. You can also actively engage with your target companies by sharing and commenting on their social postings. This will give a human element to your job search and is more organic. Like the idea? Maybe you’ll love reading our article on
how to leverage social media to land your dream job
.