Strategies for Job Searching Success: Achieve Your Goals!

Leap into your next role by using these top strategies!

Whether you’re hunting for your first job or your tenth, it’s vital to know how to search for a job effectively. In this article, we’ll explore top strategies for job searching so you can make progress quickly. We’ll also investigate the best places to look for vacancies and share some tips you may not have thought of.

The idea of a job search can be daunting, but we’ve got your back.

6 top strategies for job searching

Searching for your next role can be challenging, especially if you don’t know where to start. If it’s been a while since you’ve been on the market for a new role, you may not know the best places to look for jobs.

If you want to start the next chapter in your work life, it’s important to know where to begin. You’re going to want to take a multi-pronged approach here. Don’t rely on just one tactic. Instead, try some of the following ideas for how to find a job.

1. Start by checking online job boards

If you’re like many of today’s job seekers, you might think that the Internet is the best way to get a new job. Research reveals that 90% of candidates use the Internet when they are starting to look for jobs. It’s a no-brainer. So, yes, when you’re hoping to land your next position, the Internet is the most obvious place to start. Here are the core benefits of this strategy:

You get the chance to research which employers are posting new jobs
You gain insight into what skills employers want from people in your industry
You learn what kind of experience hiring managers want to see in candidates with your job title
You can identify any gaps in your qualifications or education to remain a competitive applicant
You get the chance to research demand for people with your skill set

When you’re looking for jobs online, be sure to cast your net wide. All too many job-seekers fall into the trap of using the same sites. That’s a mistake.

Keep in mind that variety is the spice of life. The more job sites you include in your search, the better. Remember that, as well as generalist job boards, there are also plenty of industry-specific boards. You may find more relevant roles advertised if you can find the boards relevant to your sector.

On top of using the Iinternet to find jobs, be sure to bolster your online search with other job strategies.

2. Use LinkedIn to network

LinkedIn is one of the best ways to network and land a job today. It’s the largest global congregation of people talking about jobs and opportunities.

Statistical insight: 72% of recruiters use this platform when they’re hiring candidates, so you need to make sure you use this particular tool in your job search.

Don’t panic if you haven’t used the professional networking site before now. There’s no time like the present! Setting up a LinkedIn profile and making your presence known is faster than you think. Ready to get started? If so, here are some of the top tips that you can use:

Use a professional headshot. A picture is worth a thousand words. When a hiring manager looks at your LinkedIn profile, they’ll check out your picture, too. You need to make sure that this image suits your professional persona.
Make connections. As you may already know, LinkedIn is all about making connections. The stronger your professional network is, the more likely you are to uncover job opportunities. Try to build your network with at least 250+ connections.
Get some recommendations. Other professionals can recommend and endorse you on LinkedIn. To show that you have a proven track record of success, ask some of your ex-coworkers or managers for recommendations. These testimonials will show up on your profile, allowing recruiters to see the value that you bring.

Once you’ve set up, make sure you stay active on LinkedIn. Keep your profile updated with work experience and skills. Reach out to colleagues and friends who may be able to refer you to open positions. Remember that the grass is greener where you water it.

3. Contact hiring managers directly

Are you feeling bold? When we talk about how to look for jobs, this is one of the best strategies for job searching that you may not have considered. Reaching out directly to a hiring manager at a company you want to work for is a good strategy for two reasons:

Companies spend a ton of money on recruiting fees, which they could save if they hire you directly. This could give you a leg up on other candidates.
It shows the hiring manager that you have a genuine interest in working for the company, which is always a plus.

That’s a win-win scenario for both you and the hiring manager. Take the time to research key professionals in your sector. You may want to connect with them on LinkedIn or find their contact details on the company website.

Sending them a well-crafted opening email may help you to land a job. There’s an art when it comes to cold emailing, so you should do some research first. Tailoring each of your emails to meet the requirements of the business is the key.

4. Respond to job ads

You already know that job ads can be a great way to find out who’s hiring in your area or elsewhere in the country. Don’t always look in the same place. Employers may advertise new jobs online or in print publications. For example, you may find that hiring managers place adverts in an industry magazine. Expand your search, if possible.

You don’t want to spend all of your time trawling through advertisements, so set aside a time slot each day to build a routine for this rather than allowing it to take over.

Make sure you research companies before you apply to them! When you’re dealing with job adverts, you don’t always know whether they are legitimate. To protect yourself, take a moment to Google the company and look up the key decision-makers on LinkedIn. You could even dig deeper and look at any news articles or media surrounding the business.

5. Seek out government offices for help

Here’s a strategy for job searching that many job seekers overlook. Government job placement offices are another option worth investigating. Many offer training programs to teach you how to find jobs, and staff can often provide you with hot leads on job openings. If you’re struggling to come up with the leads you need, this is an option that may work for you.

Much of the time, fresh candidates find it hard as they don’t have all the skills that jobs look for. Looking into government schemes is a quick way to upskill yourself and open the door to more opportunities. Whether you want to move into a new sector or simply climb the career ladder, this is a savvy move to make. Why not start searching now?

6. Ask for professional referrals

Your professional network is your biggest strength, but this is one of the most overlooked strategies for job searching. By now, you should have a community in place. You can use that network of friends, family members, former co-workers, educators, and LinkedIn contacts to generate job leads.

If you’re not using your network, you could be missing a trick because almost 40% of referred candidates land the job. You just need to maintain contact with your network and continue to ask about potential job openings. While this can feel weird to start with, it’s a simple way to learn about existing vacancies. The old saying rings true - it’s not what you know; it’s who you know. This approach will help you to skip the queue for new roles.

More strategies for job searching

Above, we’ve shared the most common and successful job search strategies. Of course, there’s always more you can do! Try these top tips as well:

Tailor your application to every role
Upskill with courses and certificates - and be sure to add them to your resume!
Attend job fairs - you’ll find them online, as well as locally, these days
Don’t just search for your target job title - use variations on the theme
Join a professional organization - you’ll build your network and spot opportunities faster
Find a career mentor and act on their advice
Use role- and industry-specific keywords in your resume and LinkedIn profile
Work with a recruiter or headhunter

The best places to look for jobs

In addition to knowing how to look for jobs, it can be helpful to know where to find them. As we’ve already covered, it’s important to cast your net as wide as you can. To help you out, we’ve compiled a brief list of the top information sources you should be using to identify available jobs in your area:

1. Classified ads

Classified ads can still be a great way to find out about job openings. That includes ads in your local paper, of course, but you’ll likely find even more opportunities online on sites like Craigslist. In fact, many small companies rely on affordable, online job postings to locate new hires these days, rather than the traditional newspaper “help wanted” ads of yesteryear. Take the time to look through these boards and see what you can find.

Believe it or not, many of the best opportunities will be in a local publication of some kind. Look for job search resources in your city - you might be surprised at the jobs that aren’t posted anywhere else! Set aside some time to read through a local magazine or paper.

2. Job boards

Next up, you need to know what the best sites to look for jobs are. There are several online job boards that you can try. However, these boards are not created equal. Your success in finding a potential opening will depend on your profession and where you look. Here are some examples of industry-specific job search sites we’ve researched for you:

Rather than using a generic job site, it pays to narrow down your search. For example, you may want to look into the best place to look for remote jobs or the best boards for entry-level positions. Consider what makes your job search unique and start from there. When you’re looking into strategies for job searching, this sort of focus can pay dividends.

3. Google

Is there anything Google doesn’t do these days? Yes, you can use Google to find job openings in your area. You can also use it to research those firms and learn more about them to help you tailor your resume to meet their needs. So, when you’re looking at strategies for job searching, this is likely to be one of the tools that you use the most.

Start by Googling positions in your field and area. That will bring up job advertisements and boards that you may want to use in your search. When you have some “hits,” you can also use the search engine to find out more about the role. You may want to look at company reviews on Glassdoor, for example, or find out more about the business’ values on their company page.

4. Social media

Don’t overlook the power of social media when you look for jobs. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or X, today’s social media can be a great way to learn about job openings. There are many Facebook groups based on location or industry, which you should check out. Applying to join some of these groups may allow you to see openings that you otherwise wouldn’t know about.

It doesn’t end there. X is also a great place to connect with people in your industry or employees at your target companies. You might want to follow certain professionals, search for jobs using the hashtag feature, or even post that you’re looking for a new role. (Of course, if you decide to do the latter, consider that anyone can see your tweet!)

5. Company websites

Keep tabs on the job pages for a select group of your ideal employers. If you’ve ever searched through a company’s website, chances are that you noticed many post open positions online. Companies have started to rely on these postings, as they provide a way to help screen potential applicants. If there’s a company that you really want to join, the website can be an ideal place to start that process.

6. Job aggregators

Job aggregators collect job postings from a variety of different sites on the internet. You can use these aggregators to learn about jobs in your area and follow posting links to start the application process.

You should know that this is what millions of other people are doing as well. To really stand out, you need to support your job aggregator efforts with networking, cold outreach, and making connections with people.

7. Your professional network

You’d be missing out if you didn’t leverage your professional network as one of the top factors to consider when looking for a job. You can dramatically increase your chances of getting hired if you can tell a potential employer that you were referred by one of their employees. Those chances get even better if that employee has recommended you for the job. Don’t neglect this - it’s one of the most successful strategies for job searching.

Get ahead by combining these strategies

Sure, the job market is more competitive than ever before, but you can still find a great job if you know what you’re doing. By learning how to look for a job and identifying the best places to find the job you need, you’ll dramatically improve your success rate. Until then, keep using these techniques to look for jobs and find out about new opportunities.

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