I know looking for a job can be difficult. In today’s environment, it seems tough for both those graduating from college and those who have been in the workforce for 20+ years! As I come across more people looking for jobs, I would like to pass along some helpful tips to improve your chances in your job search.
1. Network, Network, Network!
It’s fairly obvious, and it seems simple, but it’s not something many job seekers like to do. Who wants to talk about how they are unemployed and looking for work? It can “feel” embarrassing and after time take a toll on the psyche. However, make it a point to talk or meet with at least 10 people a day. It doesn’t have to be ‘in person’ meetings. You may be emailing a friend, calling a former co-worker, or simply talking with a new person in your neighborhood. The point is you have to ‘touch base’ with people on a daily basis. The more people you talk with and ask for help in finding a job, the more successful you will be. One final thought, be careful where you spend most of your time. Job seminars and support groups can be very beneficial. However, you want to spend most of your time networking with people who are employed, well-connected, and can help you find a job.
2. Make sure your Resume shines and emphasize Results!
I still see so many resumes that look like they were written in the 80’s on a computer running DOS (that’s an old Operating System for you young folks). There’s absolutely no reason not to have a professional looking resume in today’s environment. In fact, you can use Google or Microsoft’s AI tool to help you re-write or create your resume. Be sure to do your own edits after AI provides a draft as some people screen-out resumes written by AI.
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Don’t use various colors and fonts. Keep it simple – two colors at most and two fonts at most.
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Use font size to delineate important parts of your resume and be consistent. Think of “headings” and “paragraphs” with headings being larger in font size, possibly bold, while paragraphs are simple (normal) text size.
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Use a Header and/or Footer to make the resume look nice. These are areas of text meant to repeat on each page. It could be your name, email, and a cell phone.
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Make sure your email provider is a current provider particularly for technology jobs. I’m not a big fan of ‘hotmail’ and ‘aol’ email addresses! It’s the perception that people might have when they see those type of email addresses. AOL and Hotmail will give the perception that you are living in the 80’s. Get a gmail, ymail or some form of a newer email provider which eliminates thoughts of ‘age’ completely.
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Use a PDF format when submitting a resume. Newer versions of Word allow you to “Save as” a PDF. It looks nice and it eliminates the compatibility issues between the author of the document and the viewer of the document (i.e., this document has serious formatting issues because it was written in an older or incompatible version of Word, but viewed in a newer version of Word).
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For all jobs, results are important! Communicate success metrics effectively. For example, if you helped increase web traffic by 10% and customer engagement by 20%, be sure to include those points in your resume.
3. Communicate Effectively!
The English language seems like it is dying a slow death. I was taught English by Catholic nuns in my small hometown. I wasn’t so grateful at the time for the way Sr. Benedict corrected my English, but I am grateful today! English was a high priority and there was little room for error with the nuns in charge. I miss those days!
I love my kids, but I struggled with their essays when I read them throughout their elementary, middle and high school years. It seemed like there was no effort to correct English and to help them truly understand the basic principles of the language. Below are some tips for communication:
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If you aren’t great at grammar and the English language, have someone who is proof your resume. Have them proof your emails before you respond to requests. Invest in your verbal and written communication skills. Remember, the goal of the resume is to get an interview. You must, however, be honest with employers and hiring managers. You can’t apply for certain professional positions without having excellent communication skills.
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Use Grammarly, AI tools like Baird, Co-Pilot, or Chat-GPT and other software tools to enhance your writing.
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Take a free online course or a community college course to improve your English if your job depends on it.
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Join a free organization or a club like Toastmaster to improve your verbal communication.
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Write a ‘thank you’ note after each interview. Write a ‘thank you’ note after a phone screen. I promise, you’ll stand out from the rest of the candidates!