How To Plan A Job Search

Looking for a job can get quite arduous but planning it systematically makes it relatively easier. Strategic planning isn’t just required in organizations, it is equally important while applying for jobs. If you’re wondering that the only strategy to land a job is through applying to various organizations, then chances are that you are wrong. It isn’t unusual for freshers to apply to various organizations but without a strategy in place, the chances of getting an interview call are bleak. 

With the economy growing, the job market has become even more competitive, but these steps will keep you on track and help you land job offers.

#1 Career path – Defining your career goals is a crucial step in choosing your career path. Although this might sound like the most challenging step, it isn’t. The skills required to possess a job role is quite essential. You can easily take into consideration the career path that you would love to pursue. While choosing a job that you’re passionate about also requires a considerable amount of research. The next step is to decide the firm you would like to work for and target the jobs that align with your skills. 

#2 Research– Reading and researching about the firms you wish to apply for are quite essential. It isn’t just the employers evaluating your suitability for the role but also your interest in the particular company. Knowing about the company before you go in for the interview is a must. If you wish to investigate the company,  the Glassdoor page can easily help you know about where the company stands, their culture, and the questions they generally ask in interviews.

#3 Customizing your resume – Resume is considered a golden ticket to a job interview, but crafting a crisp resume is the key as it helps you create your first impression. This not only includes your work experience but your past achievements, volunteering experience, strengths, and weaknesses. 

However, it is quite essential to make your resume neat and concise. The chances of getting an interview are higher with a generic resume. With thousands of applications rolling in, chances are that the hiring manager might not take a thorough look at your resume if it consists of several pages. The only way to stand out from the other applicants is by allowing the hiring manager to understand why you’re suitable for the role. 

#4 Using networking strategy – Using effective technology to your advantage, you can expand your network to get noticed by employers. Creating strong and large community connections on LinkedIn, a powerful tool has proved to be beneficial. Hiring managers prefer interviewing individuals with a strong profile. The added advantage of social media platforms like Linkedin is that it allows you to grasp the various job opportunities available. You can easily reach out to the hiring manager by sending your resume making your job search relatively easier.

#5 Creating a personal brand – Branding has always proved to be effective, be it a product or a service. Personal branding is just as effective because it makes it much easier for companies to view and perceive you. The traditional elevator pitch has always been the most viable way for personal branding. Just like the elevator ride doesn’t last for more than 20-30 seconds, the short speech to showcase personal brand can be quite effective. Establishing and communicating your personal brand to employers through defining your goals, values, and experience. 

“Personal branding is the art of becoming knowable, likable and trustable”

John Jantsch

#6 Prepare for interviews – Even if this step doesn’t include in the initial stages, it is quite important to prepare yourself for interviews. Evaluating your strength and weaknesses, learning about the company and the job role is a must. While your resume does give the idea of how suitable you are for the role, it is important to prepare yourself to answer the questions in a way that will impress the interviewer while making sure that you’re honest at the same time.

Even if you don’t get the job offer, take this opportunity to view this as a strategy for an informational interview instead of getting disheartened. This will help you widen your knowledge about the interview process and help you prepare better. 

While these strategies for planning a job search are effective,  it widely depends on the amount of time you dedicate to reach your goal. The personalized journey of going on a job search process can get overwhelming but the career counselors and employment service providers can help you ease up the process.