It is interesting. Maybe it is the clientele I work with on a daily basis. I get asked some of the same questions daily. I work primarily with executives and senior level employees. Most of the people I interact with have been HIGHLY successful in their roles for a LONG time. The candidates have a long track record of success and have managed people for the majority of their careers.

The main question I get asked is “How do you find a job in 2016”? I’m getting this question because people are considering a job change. There are far too many options out there to not be in your perfect or ideal job. I also know that people are taking risks because they are able to take risks. 5-10 years ago people stayed in their jobs far longer than they should have stayed because they wanted to be employed, NOT  looking for a job. It is frightening being unemployed.

The rules are changing. Looking for a job has changed. Recruiting has evolved and it continues to evolve. What works today did not work 5 years ago. Let me share with you an astounding fact. As a boutique agency, I placed 20 people last year from March- December. One of those people came from a job board. Of the 20 people I hired last year, only 1 is not with the company today.  That 1 person I hired that isn’t with the company any longer was the person who applied for a job!

Wow right?

Job Boards are a piece of the puzzle, and sometimes you may get lucky applying to a job. Most of the time, however, you are going to have to get a bit more creative than JUST applying to a job to get a job. Job Postings are a good place for candidates to start.  You can find out who is hiring, but don’t dismiss the hidden job market.  Not every job is posted for a reason.

I want to share with you some things you can do to increase your chances of getting that next job. If you are someone who has switched jobs in the past couple of years, or if you are an executive looking for a job for the first time in 10 years, this WILL help you.

Yes, Resumes Still MatterResumehanded

Let me get this out of the way first. Yes, you still have to have a resume. It will come up in conversations, so go ahead and update your resume. I haven’t had one client say to me- “I don’t need your resume”.  A resume says a lot about who you are as an individual. Are there typos? How did you describe the work you are doing? Are you hiding something? How long were you at a job? Do you have any certifications? You may get an interview without a resume, but eventually, a company will ask for it.

Have your resume updated at all times. You never know when someone will reach out to you with your dream job. Even if you aren’t looking the unexpected DOES happen. If you think you have a stable job with a publicly held company, think again. A wrong turn in the stock market could change everything. Be proactive with your search.

LinkedIn Matters More Thank You ThinkLinkedinsearch

As much as I get frustrated with LinkedIn, I want to tell you as a job hunter, you CAN NOT survive without it. LinkedIn is essential on so many levels. It is my primary tool to recruit individuals. If I told you that I spend most of my day on LinkedIn would it get you motivated to make sure that your profile is in tip top shape? If it doesn’t motivate you, it should. I evaluate everything. Every key word matters.

The more I know about you and the more re-searchable you are, the more likely you are to be contacted. LinkedIn is a living, breathing resume so be sure to have updated contact information, a clear concise objective, and your very best photo on your profile. There are so many tricks to developing a LinkedIn profile. Spend some time reading some blogs on this site and others and you will have some great takeaways on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn also helps with the hidden job market. Take some time re-connecting to old colleagues. People will help you if you let them know you need to be helped. Somebody may be able to introduce you to a hiring manager that will lead to your dream job.

Facebook is a Great Tool for Finding Jobsfacebook.3png

The lines of Personal & Professional are blurred. As a recruiter, I look at your LinkedIn profile and then go to your Facebook profile. Chances are you have both of them. You aren’t hiding anything from me. Although LinkedIn and Facebook are two totally different social media outlets, they are both very helpful in your job search.

Your Facebook friends are most likely different from your LinkedIn friends. They are your true “friends”. Referrals are still the best way to find jobs and what better way to find a job than through a friend?!

There are great job groups on Facebook also. Don’t forget that LinkedIn is not the only tool to use when searching for a job! Be cognizant when you post things on Facebook as I can learn just as much about you on Facebook as on LinkedIn.

Give Blogging a TryPublisher

Trust me. I know a little about this one. There is not a better way to show off your expertise than blogging. LinkedIn Publisher gives everyone the right to post on LinkedIn. If you are a sales person, you can write about obtaining quota. If you are in Marketing, write about what you know about marketing. If you are a Product Manager, tell me about something you are doing today that may separate you from the other candidates. If it isn’t for you, then it isn’t for you. Give it a try.

 

The More People That Can Vouch for You the Better

Work on your references. Make sure you have that piece of your job search tied up.  Have more than one person submit your resume to the hiring manager. As a recruiter, it makes my job easier when someone sends me a candidate. I will gladly look at a resume that has been sent directly to me over something that ends up in the black hole of resumes in an Applicant Tracking System. You probably know this, but don’t forget it.

Good luck in 2016. Hopefully this helps. I’m here to help you with your next move!

@willrecruits

 

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