Top Ten Tips and Strategies for a Successful Job Search

Still no success in job hunting? Looking for a new job nowadays can really be challenging but if you properly plan your search then you might just land a job sooner than you think. Here are some job hunting tips that will give you a greater chance of succeeding:

1. Use job search sites. Gone are the days when you need to buy a newspaper and look at the classified ads section to look for a job. Thanks to the internet, finding a job only takes a few clicks of the mouse through the use if job search engine sites where the results can be refined based on the available options. You can search for an opening based on location, field, salary and other parameters.

2. Always have an updated resume ready. They say opportunity comes when you least expect it. An updated resume would always come in handy because you’ll never know when you might encounter the break that you’ve been waiting for!

3. Keep all communication lines open. Never ever leave your phone unattended and always check your email for updates if you have submitted your resume to an employer. Recruiters are usually turned off by applicants who are not answering their phones or not replying to email messages on time so make sure that you are reachable when recruiters contact you.

4. Get ideas from sample materials. Take a look at sample resumes, CV’s and cover letters so you can think of new concepts or get inspiration for making your own job application tools.

5. Only submit what the employer requires. It is highly important that you only submit the documents that the employer requested. Some companies may only require a resume while some may require supplementary documents such as sample works or resumes with specific details such as referrals and other particulars.

6. Download templates. Using templates is the new way to expedite the process of creating resumes, curriculum vitae’s and cover letters and the great thing about these premade layouts is that they come in different varieties. In the end you will get a high quality document minus the complex process of making one.

7. Make use of social media. Most companies are tapping on social networking sites for hiring new employees to their workforce. In fact, they even post their current openings first on these channels before anywhere else so make sure that you have brushed up your profile in Facebook, Twitter and most especially LinkedIn.

8. Sign up for job alerts. The best way to get the freshest openings in the job market is to sign up for alerts via email or SMS. Most job search sites offer this kind of feature so can be ahead of other potential applicants who tend to search for these openings manually.

9. Use your connections. Make an effort to ask your relatives, friends, co-workers and other contacts about any possible job opportunities that they might now. It is important to know that many job openings are not publicized and tapping onto your network can yield good results.

10. Face the challenge. Rejections are inevitable especially if you are competing against more experienced and more qualified applicants but do not let this dampen your spirits. Instead, look at it as a challenge to put in more hard work in finding your dream job.