Job Hunting Success: Top Strategies & Tips Revealed
Boost your chances of landing an interview with our expert-backed advice!
You’re ready to take the next step on the career ladder. It takes approximately three to six weeks to land a job — an all-time record high. Factor in your job-hunting time, and it can feel like finding a new role takes forever.
If you’re looking for a way to speed things up and propel yourself toward success, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we share the best job-hunting tips and advice.
Why you need to use a job-hunting strategy
Before we start looking at the expert-backed job-hunting tips, let’s talk about why you need them. You might think coming up with a strategy is a throw-away step. However, there’s a reason that this approach works. Here are some of the things to consider:
Stay on track. Job hunting can be tough, and you may find it difficult to motivate yourself. If that sounds familiar to you, having a strategy will help you keep going.
Take control. There are times when it feels like the fundamentals of job hunting are out of your control – you can’t make someone hire you. However, when you use a proper strategy, it puts you in the driving seat and gives a sense that you are in control.
Use a multi-pronged approach. Simply scouring job boards and hoping for the best won’t cut it. If you want to speed up your job search, you need a range of tactics.
When you are finding it hard to find a job, having a strategy can help. It’s important to focus on using all of the possible strategies you have in your arsenal. That way, you will find that you come across more opportunities than you otherwise would.
13 job-hunting tips and strategies to boost your chances
Now that we’ve talked about why you need a strategy, let’s create one. In this section, we will be looking at the best job-hunting tips, advice, and strategies you can use.
1. Create a job-search agenda
Chances are, you’ve heard the following phrase: ‘Finding a job feels like a full-time job.’ It’s not wrong. If you want to land your next position, you need to make sure that you have a schedule.
Use whichever calendar or scheduling system works for you and literally write down your tasks in a diary or pop them into a calendar app. This job-hunting tip will help you stay motivated and use a ‘little and often’ approach to your job search.
2. Revitalize your resume
When was the last time you revamped your resume? If this marketing material is not up to date, you could be seriously hindering your chance of landing an interview.
Once you’ve covered the fundamentals of this document, there are some simple ways to supercharge it. Check out our advice here:
Perfect your resume title to attract attention
Write a captivating professional summary
Use clear and formal language throughout
Ensure your skills section is on point
Include a selection of power verbs in the content
Expert Tip
New to resume writing?
We’ve got you covered. Read our basic guide on how to write a resume from scratch now. You will learn how to fill out each important section of this document like a pro.
3. Optimize your application for the ATS
The vast majority of businesses now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter applications and resumes. If you want to make sure your resume beats the bots, you need to optimize it. Here’s how:
Include the right keywords in your resume and cover letter
Format your resume correctly and make it easy to read
Ensure that your experience aligns with the job criteria
4. Bookmark your favorite job boards
If you’re using the same job board every time you search for roles, this is your PSA to stop. You should be checking multiple boards instead. While that may sound laborious, there’s a hack you can use: bookmark a selection of your favorite job boards and return to them regularly.
Of course, you should go for the standard boards that you know and trust, but don’t shy away from digging deeper. Looking for industry-specific websites is a smart way to find the best jobs for you.
5. Make your LinkedIn shine
If you think that LinkedIn is simply a resume platform, think again. The social network is growing in popularity and it’s a great way to get your name out there, especially when you’re job hunting.
One of the best job-hunting tips you will get is to take real ownership of your LinkedIn. First up, let’s take a look at your profile. You can upgrade it by doing the following:
Make sure that your picture is bright, professional, and suitable
Write a killer LinkedIn headline that attracts attention
Craft a work experience section that turns heads
Add a powerful set of skills to your LinkedIn profile
When you have got your profile up to scratch, you can start finding and applying for jobs on LinkedIn. If you’re not using this tool, you are missing out on many opportunities.
6. Check out company websites
Do you have a dream company you would love to work for? If the name just came to your mind, this is one of the most valuable job-hunting tips for you. Check their website for vacancies.
Not all businesses advertise their positions on social media and job boards. Some high-profile companies only publish job adverts on their own website. For that reason, you need to continuously check their page and see whether the right job for you suddenly appears.
7. Attend networking events
Networking events can send a shiver down people’s spines. If you hate the idea of rubbing shoulders with other professionals, you’re not alone. For many, attending one of these events can be scary, especially since people got used to not doing so during the pandemic.
While it would be all too easy to hide away from the world, that won’t help you land your dream job. Check out events in your area – especially industry-specific sessions – and sign up for them. If it’s helpful, you might want to enlist a friend to join you the first few times.
8. Use your existing network
While networking with new professionals is one of the best job-hunting tips, don’t overlook the obvious. You likely already have a wide network of professionals available to you.
If you have worked in the same career for a matter of years, you will have met a range of people. From your coworkers to clients and even managers, these are valuable connections.
When you are looking for a new job, it’s wise to reach out to these professionals and ‘put the feelers out.’ While – of course – you don’t want to straight up ask them for a job, there are other approaches that you may choose to use when contacting them.
For example, you could suggest a catch-up and ask them whether they know of any opportunities on the horizon. You may also want to speak to them about your current position and say that you would welcome their support. Remember, people love helping others.
9. Try volunteering or participating in an internship
Looking to break into an entirely new career? One of the best job-hunting tips is to look for voluntary opportunities or internships in your chosen field. If you have the means to do this, you gain experience and make some invaluable connections along the way.
Expert Tip
Send that speculative email!
Can’t see any volunteer opportunities? It may be smart to take things into your own hands. Sending a speculative email to the right person at the right time could be your golden ticket.
Your message should be polite and not presumptuous. You can send an email showcasing your enthusiasm for the field and enquiring about any possible voluntary positions.
10. Create a personal website
Do you work in a creative field? You would benefit from creating a professional website or a portfolio page. When it comes to job-hunting tips, this is one of the major ones that people tend to miss. However, it could massively increase your chances of hiring managers finding you.
The good news is that you don’t have to be a web designer or developer to make your own site. Plenty of platforms, such as Squarespace and Wix, allow you to make websites with no experience. Consider what projects, publications, and expertise you want to highlight here.
11. Attend job fairs
When we’re talking about job-hunting tips, sometimes the classics are worth remembering. Are you looking into job fairs? These types of events will be advertised locally and could be a treasure trove of opportunities. Before you go, make sure you have the following:
A practiced elevator pitch
Business cards or contact materials
A professional outfit
Questions for prospective employers
While you may find the idea of attending job fairs intimidating, try to stay calm. These events give you the chance to learn about the main employers in your area. Stop worrying about how you will bag the job and treat it as a fact-finding mission instead.
12. Always tailor your applications
If you are using a ‘one size fits all’ approach to applications, you need to change your ways by tailoring your resume, cover letter, and application forms to the company at hand. This takes a bit of effort, but it will be worth it if you get an interview.
Start by doing some research on the business. You can run a quick Google search and see what results you find. You might also want to look at the business’ LinkedIn and website. This will help you learn about their culture and how to speak their language.
13. Ask for constructive feedback
Do you feel as though you keep applying for jobs, but you’re getting nowhere? If that’s the case, it’s a smart move to ask for some constructive feedback. You can always follow up with the hiring manager in question and ask them why your application was not hitting the mark.
This is one of the major job-hunting tips that people tend to forget. You might be leaving out important parts of your application or simply making some careless mistakes here.
Bonus: How to stay on track when job hunting
By this point, you should be confident in using the best job search tips to your advantage. However, there are some final things that you need to remember while you go through this process. Check out our advice below:
Don’t give up! Looking for a new job can be a long process. However, it’s important not to give up. Keep your eyes on the prize above all else.
Focus on self-care. Don’t neglect yourself during this time. When you’re not job hunting, take some time to relax, meditate, and get outside!
Stay organized. Job hunting should never be chaotic. Figure out a system that allows you to stay on top of all of your applications and monitor their progress.
Manage your time well. Time can be elusive. If you want to make the most of it, you need to have a system. Schedule both time away from job hunting and time doing it.
It’s important to look after yourself when you are looking for a new job. Make sure that you follow our advice so that you can stay on track throughout your job search.
The takeaway
Ready to get started? Finding a new job takes a wealth of time, energy, and patience. In this guide, we’ve covered the main job search tips that you need as an applicant. Creating a strategy that works for your career goals is the aim of the game. Now that you have these approaches under your belt, you should find the process easier than ever.
Ready to upgrade your job search? Make use of our free resume review now. Get ahead of the competition and get hired faster than ever.
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Written by
Charlotte Grainger, Editor & Content Writer, Charlotte Grainger, Editor & Content Writer
Charlotte Grainger is a freelance writer living and working in Sheffield, UK. She has a passion for career development and loves sharing tips and advice. Follow her on Twitter
