In this 3 part article we will look at 11 ways – or suggestions – you can use to help you land *that job*. No matter if you are looking for your first job, switching careers all together or just looking at re-entering the workforce after a long time away due to illness or having a family. Finding a job requires 2 main tasks – #1 is to understand yourself and # 2 is to understand the ever changing job market. We will assume you have already chosen a career path you want to pursue and you are now actively searching for a job.
Here are 11 ways to actually GET a job.
#1 – Revise your resume – before you even start looking for a job, and before you even start applying for a job you need to make sure your resume is as up to date and as complete as it can be – so here are a few things you should consider.1
*Never lie on your resume. Be as honest and as open as you can – lying on your résumé while it might get you the job in the beginning will come back to haunt you later
* Use active verbs. If you need to describe what you did in your last job make the sentence as active and as tight as possible. For example – don’t say *I served as a patient contact for contacting insurance and getting bills* Try saying *I liaised with patients and insurance companies and managed financial transactions*
* Proofread – and proof read again and again, go over your resume several times and look for any spelling or grammatical errors. Another idea is to have another person take a look at it as well, when you know what is written it can be easy to overlook mistakes.
* Keep the format of your CV clean, how your resume looks is just as important as how it reads. Use a simple classic font (nothing fancy) such as Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman or Helevtica. Stay with black ink, avoid colours and leave wide margins (about 2.5cm on each side). Try not to use bold or italic font and make sure*information is prominently displayed and easy to read *
#2 Network – the best companies to work for often rely heavily on their current employees referring new staff. Make a list of all your friends, family and acquaintances and contact them all, let them know you are looking for a job and ask them if they know of any openings, or, if they perhaps know someone who might know of an opening. Be honest and don’t be apologetic or humble, let them know you are open to suggestions, and, that you can be quite flexible. Don’t be *picky* about jobs, a connection can get your foot in the door, and you can always opt to switch positions or negotiate for a better pay once you have gained a good reputation and more skills’
*Make sure you keep in touch with any and all references you make – this way you can ask them for any new leads – which refreshes their memory or lets them know you are still looking – or – if a potential employer does call them, they won’t hesitate as much when trying to remember who you are
*Bear in mind that – as with dating, *weak* personal connections are a great way to find a new job, they help expand your network and provide you with more options. While you might know (for example) about your brother’s company, and, if they are hiring he’ll tell you about it, but what about any friends your brother has? Don’t be afraid to ask a friend of a friend for any recommendations while you are looking for a job.
Don’t forget to come back and join us for part 2, we’d love to hear from you, feel free to post your own tips or ideas.
