Finding a job is always a challenging task. Strict requirements, fierce competition, and new career fields may be overwhelming for job seekers.
If a candidate has a career and wants a change, a simple resume update will be sufficient to land an interview. With the assistance of a resume edit service, candidates can demonstrate their strongest skills and land any job they desire.
However, what is the entry point to the job search? How to find a job that will be both enjoyable and profitable? Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to these questions. But there are tips and advice on how to get a job and save time and effort.
Step 1: Decide Which Career Field to Explore
The first step may be the most challenging one. People look for their calling for years and may need help finding their dream job. Yet, it does not have to stop a candidate from trying.
A job seeker may write down all the skills and knowledge they possess to decide which career field to enroll in. There are trending and obscure professions, regular office jobs, and remote occupations, and each field suggests its strong and weak points.
Job market research aims to find a career field that aligns most with the job seeker's desires and qualifications. Of course, a perfect match is nearly impossible. But a career field that will bring satisfaction is usually better in the long run than attempts to catch the trends train.
Step 2: Writing a CV and a Resume
Despite being one of the first steps, writing a resume is always actual and relevant in the job search. It is not a static document but a constantly updating piece of data about a candidate's work experience.
CV stands for "Curriculum Vitae" - the notion of each job position a job seeker attended and relevant experience. A resume is a shortened version of a CV that a job seeker applies to a particular position. The concrete meaning of these documents depends on the country and job description requirements.
Either way, an applicant should record all the work-related experience and information to present to potential employers.
Suppose a candidate has no prior working experience and creates an entry-level resume, then it should be skill-based and demonstrate proficiency in professional areas before the experience. The only hard rule about a resume is that the experience section should not present a complete absence of work in the career field.
Step 3: Create a Professional Online Image
Online image has the same importance as a resume. A good-looking LinkedIn profile and neat social media pages are more likely to attract potential employers and consider an applicant a good fit for the job.
A job seeker may:
- Update all online photos.
- Prepare descriptions on LinkedIn and other career resources.
- Use professional email addresses and popular domains.
- Upload all relevant professional documents, resumes, and CVs.
An applicant may consult a professional career advisor on making an online image that will fit the particular career field.
Step 4: Application for the Job Positions
When a job seeker completes all the preparations, it is time to hit the market. At this step, a candidate should be ready for many rejects. But unfortunately, there are dozens of job applicants for a single position, and a resume can never reach the eyes of a hiring manager.
However, it is not a cause to fall into despair. Instead, job seekers should remember that the search can take unexpected turns and try as many possibilities as possible.
ATS optimization would be a valuable tip for this step. Many recruiting firms use automated applicant tracking software that analyzes resumes for keywords. If a resume does not have the correct wording, the bots skip it.
Therefore, professional resume writers may become valuable assistants in this case. They will optimize a resume for ATS bots and increase the chances of landing an interview.
Step 5: Prepare for Interviews and do Test Assignments
This step may be parallel to the previous one. While job seekers apply for different jobs, they may try to prepare themselves for further tests; these are interviews and test assignments.
Interviews consist of several questions to learn about a person behind working experience and skills. And preparation for the interview means building confidence to answer these questions.
It is impossible to predict all possible interview questions or learn all the answers. However, an applicant may expect such questions as:
- Tell more about yourself.
- What are your strong and weak points?
- Why do you want to work with our company?
They may sound sudden, but interviews will go smoother if job seekers spend time thinking over their reasons for applying.
Test assignments are also a subject for prior preparation. For example, hiring managers may give such a task to test a candidate's abilities. Usually, the exact conditions of the assignment are not revealed until the application. However, there are many typical test assignments in the open access.
IT specialists, copywriters, and designers may try their strengths in typical tasks and evaluate their abilities.
Step 6: Attend an Interview
Finally, hiring managers accept an application, and it is time to attend an interview. How to act? What to say? The answers depend on the corporate culture of the company.
A suit would look inappropriate if it is a start-up with an informal atmosphere. The same is true for a big business company with a strict culture. Job applicants should learn the requirements and responsibilities and the company's values.
With this knowledge and prior preparations, the job will be secured.
Final Step: Get a Job
The scheme above represents a general approach to job search, and each step has more nuances and factors to consider. Yet, with persistence and dedication, this guide will help to land any job of the applicant's choice. It is essential not to give up if something goes wrong but to consider mistakes and try again.