Whether you are a fresh graduate or you have been in the labor market for several years, the job search process remains a difficult task for everyone. But have you ever heard the adage, “Don’t try harder; think smarter!” There is no denying it: looking for a job is a job in itself, and unfortunately, it does not get any easier with the passage of time… On the contrary, it becomes more difficult as you get older.
If you feel like you’re going in a vicious circle without getting what you want, maybe it’s time to take a step back and reconsider your job search strategy. This will undoubtedly help you regain your confidence and contribute to obtaining the job opportunity you aspire to. In today’s article, we collected for you 10 tips and methods to help you search for work more intelligently and with less effort, ways you may not have thought of before or have not applied well. Read to the end to find out!
1- Networking via the Internet
Start building your presence on professional networks like LinkedIn. You may feel that it is still early if you are still a university student, but you will look great in front of employers when they see your enthusiasm to learn more about the labor market even before entering it.
Follow the following tips when networking via the Internet:
- Join discussion groups about the industries and areas of interest you are interested in. And start building your professional social network little by little to keep up with the latest job offers.
- Follow the companies and institutions you are interested in, and there is no harm in leaving some appropriate comments on the publications published by these companies.
- To remember! It is not appropriate to add anyone on LinkedIn unless you really know them. So beware of falling into the trap of adding everyone here and there, hoping to build a huge network, as the effect will be the opposite and will not serve you.
2- Talk to your friends and family.
Employee recommendations are one of the most common methods of hiring used by businesses.This is because companies usually prefer to hire people who have been praised by their employees, whom they trust. You can take advantage of this by asking your friends and family members who work in areas that you like. This may lead to your being informed of new job opportunities before they are announced, and the competition for them will intensify. In such cases, you will have a greater chance of getting the job, especially since you have been suggested as a result of recommendations from an employee of the same company.
Note: Recommendations are very different from Wasta, so don’t confuse them. The first means that you will be suggested by one of the employees in the company, and you will go through all stages of application, from sending your resume to conducting a job interview to submitting any tests or exams to see your competency.
As for the second, it means that you get the job regardless of your competence or abilities and without going through any of the usual recruitment procedures.
3- Go beyond the job listings.
Sometimes, sticking to job advertisements (job listings) may not be the best way to move forward in your career. Instead, focusing on specific companies (rather than vacancies in different places) may work to your advantage. This is because when you submit your application, you will be interested in this particular company, and this will be reflected in your resume, cover letter, and even during the job interview. Keep your eyes open for job openings, of course, but look at it another way! How do?!
When you find that a certain company has posted several vacancies at the same time but none of them match your experience or competencies, do not hesitate to send your resume and cover letter anyway (market yourself!). Posting more than one vacancy in the same company at the same time means that it is in a period of expansion, and therefore this is the best time to market yourself to it and show your competencies, as you may be taken into consideration next time when vacancies that suit you are published.
4- Expand your search
The labor market is developing at a great pace and in an unprecedented way, to the extent that there are some jobs that you have never heard of. It may not even have existed when you entered your undergraduate major a few years ago. Because of the technological advancements that our world is experiencing today.Have you heard of jobs like content marketing? Website backend development or growth hacking?
All of them are modern jobs, which may be considered part of the traditional jobs that you know or a branch of them, but they undoubtedly need you to give them some of your time. Once you move beyond traditional job titles, there will be less competition, and you will find new, more interesting fields to try and get started in. Expand your search for jobs and your horizons as well. Do not hesitate to try new jobs if you have the skills to do them, and do not limit yourself to traditional jobs or even to local vacancies. The job market is not local anymore; it has turned into a global market! You can work anywhere and from anywhere, and self-employment via the Internet is witnessing a great demand from people around the world.
5- Be confident and elegant at the same time.
How you apply for jobs plays a big role in shaping the general image of you as an employee in the eyes of employers. For example, someone who takes the initiative and sends an official letter to the department head of a certain company asking for an appointment to learn more about the company will make a more positive impression than someone who just sends their resume and cover letter copied from somewhere else!
However, before taking this step, be sure to do good research on the company. In the end, you do not want to end up in a session with the head of a department, during which you realize that you know nothing about the company or what it does! Likewise, taking this step does not mean that you storm the various companies demanding a job; all you have to do is request a meeting with the Human Resources Director, during which you can tell him how much you like this institution and offer your services in a professional manner that makes you present in the memory of the recruitment agency when deciding to include new people in the work team.
6- Get a job at your university.
This advice is specifically for undergraduates who have not yet graduated. There are many job opportunities available on campus, such as:
- Work in restaurants and cafes within the university.
- Organizing university events.
- Administrative positions and teaching assistants.
- Conducting introductory tours for new students.
In addition to the appropriate additional income that these jobs provide you with, they ensure that the university gets to know you better. Thus, they will provide you with more positive recommendations when you need them for your first job after graduation. Always try to apply early to university jobs, as these often fill up quickly. And in the event that you cannot get a job opportunity on campus, try to be active in other university activities, such as volunteering, for example.
7- Use employment agencies
Finding a job through recruitment agencies can be a good option, especially if the idea of marketing yourself is stressful and difficult for you. Where the agency will do this task on your behalf Employment agencies actively search for job opportunities for you, which may ease your burden and help you get a job in a relatively short time.
However, despite the many positives of searching for a job through employment agencies, it also has some negatives, as the jobs that may be found for you are often boring, uninspiring, and very low-paid. In addition, many of them lack job security and opportunities for future development.
8- Try hands-on training
This idea is especially good if you are trying to try new areas of work, because if you want to work in a completely different job than you are used to, perhaps it would be better to have an opportunity to try this field first before you judge it and make your fateful decision to commit to it forever! Practical training opportunities are the best way to test and experience the job, as these opportunities can be paid or unpaid depending on the type of company and its policies.
Although paid practical training opportunities do not guarantee a good income, they are a great way to learn about new fields of work and try them out before committing to a job, and they frequently lead to a permanent position.
9- Job fairs
Job fairs are not only suitable for fresh graduates; they may be a good place for experienced people as well, if they know how to market themselves.
Through it, you can meet with senior hiring managers in companies and learn about the different names of companies and institutions that you can apply to. Take advantage of this opportunity to network and learn about the application and employment procedures for different companies.
10- Be your own boss.
Many students and recent graduates feel discouraged about starting their own business for fear of risk and failure. Although building your own business to be your own boss can be challenging, if you have a great idea and great drive, this step is probably the smartest decision you will make in your entire life. Today, there are many companies that support young entrepreneurs and help them start and succeed in their own projects.
If you discover after a year of self-employment that this is not for you, you will most likely have learned something new, and you will not regret that you at least tried; having a private project (even if it is not successful) will be a great addition to your resume.
This was a collection of suggestions and methods to help you find your dream job. You can, of course, continue to use the traditional methods, such as using recruitment sites, visiting different companies, submitting a resume to its recruiter, or other means of research. Whatever method you use to search for a job, always make sure that it stands out from the rest, and market yourself smartly to ensure that you remain in the memory of the recruiters, thus increasing your chances of moving to the next stage in the process.
Read also: Common mistakes in job interviews
