Have you lost the momentum you once had in your job search? If the phone has stopped ringing or you don’t know what to do next, try these easy steps to get your job search going again.
1. Join the club
Joining a job club or group of job seekers can help you develop new strategies in your search, hold you accountable for your next steps, and help broaden your network. If you aren’t able to find a local job club, establish a support team of your friends, family, or colleagues to bounce ideas off of, and help you formulate tasks and tactics.
2. Go to the fair
Going to a job fair or live hiring event is a good way to get yourself in front of a hiring manager quickly. Even if it doesn’t result in an immediate job offer, you can still make great connections every time you get face-to-face with an employer.
3. Phone a friend
If you feel stuck while you’re writing your resume or you can’t seem to find what you are looking for online, reach out to a trusted colleague or mentor. While no one can get a job for you, it can be beneficial and refreshing to get a different perspective.
4. Give thanks
Nothing can give you a quicker boost of energy than gratitude. Take the time to send a thank you note to the people who have helped you so far in your job search. It might also help you remember if there is anyone you should reach out to again in the future.
5. Change-up your search
If you haven’t changed the words or phrases you use in your job search for a while, find some new words and give them a try. For ideas on new search terms, do some research on alternate titles used in your field, search for words related to a skill you have instead of your title, or try searching for specific companies or locations in which you are interested. A new search might yield opportunities you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
6. Overhaul your resume
While you shouldn’t put the entire weight and success of your job search on your resume, if you haven’t fully revised it in over a year, consider refreshing it completely. For tips on this check out this article on Spring Cleaning: De-cluttering Your Resume.
7. Develop clear goals
Set small, attainable goals that you can control and accomplish regularly. Good goals include setting a number of jobs to apply to either daily or weekly, setting a number of events to go to monthly, or establishing a number of people to reach out to each week. Successfully achieving milestones along the way will help keep you motivated as you work towards the bigger goal of landing your next job.
8. Target specific companies
Research which companies are likely to hire for the types of positions you are looking for. Learn about each of these companies, what they look for in a candidate, and use your network to meet people that work at these organizations. Referrals are a great way to increase your odds of getting an interview, so a targeted networking approach in addition to applying online can greatly improve your odds of finding a job.
9. Get out
Whether it is a walk around the block or just running an errand, if you are currently unemployed, make sure you get out of the house regularly. It’s easy to get in a rut and get stuck inside. Some fresh air and contact with people can often re-energize you and help you get motivated to tackle your next application.
10. Tailor your cover letter & resume—every time
Take the time to make sure your cover letter and resume specifically target each company and position you are applying to. Submit quality application materials that clearly establish you as the right person for each job you are applying to. You’ll get a better response rate from fewer well-done applications than from many generic ones.