Your job search crash course this year.
Photo credit: Jay Huang
How to use this list
A job search tip a day keeps the recruiters
away
closer…
This isn’t a checklist.
Some of the tips only apply to job seekers of certain kinds, such as graduates, older job seekers and employed job seekers.
Put differently, no one should try to apply all the tips in one job search.
Instead, use it to create your own job search checklist:
read through the list completely
as you go, note the tips that inspire you most
where necessary, click the links for in-depth explanations from some of the best job search bloggers and experts in the world
Free bonus: Download a categorized version of this list for easy reference, where I've highlighted effective tips that job seekers tend to not know.
So many job search tips…
Don’t put off your job search
Better to job search while you have an income
Don’t get distracted
Be a giver before a taker, you never know where it can lead
The best networks really are built before needed
Start by auditing your situation
First decide what you’re looking for
Focus on the right things
Leaving options open makes you lazy
Internal moves are smarter than job hopping
Review which job search websites can help
Find 10 people who have the job you want and model your job search on theirs
Get career path inspiration by researching people on LinkedIn with your credentials
Get career ideas by taking personality tests
Get career ideas by job shadowing
Get career ideas by interning
Showing your skills grows self-confidence
If you don’t qualify, don’t apply
Note one thing you’re grateful for happening today
Gather career materials before leaving a job
Only approach recruiters when it’s relevant
Don’t refer to yourself in the 3rd person online
Have a daily routine
Prepare stories for your job interview
Ask 5 people who trust and know you about career path
If you attract the wrong recruiters, your resume has the wrong content
Bad Facebook and Twitter comments can haunt you
Know how to correctly pronounce your interviewer’s name in advance
Know when to talk salary first
Use fewer pronouns (I,my,me) in your cover letter
Make sure your resume is focused on your direction
Aim for companies who hire by audition, not resume
Don’t lie on your resume
It’s ok to omit resume information that doesn’t help you
React well to job rejection
Reject recruiters well too
Say the salary you’re seeking, not the one you’re making
Your resume should not be a PDF, unless it’s required to be
Before job interviews, practice walking into the room
List credentials (PhD, MBA, etc.) at resume top
Group barter hack to get a job with your friends
Know how to find a hiring manager’s contact info
Beware of suspicious companies
Use personal business cards
Relax more
Learn to negotiate
Older job seeker? Find a younger mentor
Don’t make yourself look older than you are
Pay attention to what you envy to discover work that you love
Have a job? Always be prepared to leave
Always be on time
Learn how to strike up a conversation
Use rejection-response letters
Don’t spam hiring managers
Highlight job duties instead of job titles
Remember names, not just faces
Call your alma mater’s career services
Get attention with a personal job search website
Search for recruiters before jobs
Use Wordle to focus your resume
Find leads via forum networking
Follow job listing instructions perfectly
Get a job search buddy
Follow-up with your own contacts
Know your competitive advantages
Learn to think like a recruiter
Aim for hidden jobs first
Job fairs aren’t a waste of time
Not every job fair is for you
Talk job search at parties
Avoid looking jobless
Research companies on LinkedIn
Leverage contacts’ contacts
Being flexible opens you to more jobs
Don’t print your resume at work
Online resumes are trusted more
Follow up post-rejection to learn from mistakes
Keep a plain-text version of your resume handy
Be a better listener
Learn how to be creative
Use guest posting to get exposure
Blog your expertise
Don’t look for a job, look for a company
Impress employers by demonstrating skills they need
Don’t make employers download your CV
Be authentic
Make eye contact often
Don’t wait for job ads to appear
Avoid job postings that look too good
Use LinkedIn events to find networking opportunities
Stand during phone interviews
Use external recommendations in cover letters
Add video to your LinkedIn profile
Know the right way to email people for requests
Address being overqualified before they ask
Being first runner-up can mean being next in line
Follow up later on recently-closed job openings
Use a resume benefit statement if you have too much to list
Talk to insiders before taking a job
Stay in touch with ex-bosses
Never say you’re perfect for the job
Interviews are for you to show you’re perfect for the job
If an interviewer tries to sell you on a job, let them
Use positive words when making salary objections
Prepare a cover story if you want to change careers
Avoid recruiters that won’t forward job descriptions
Prepare a “why hire me” story for interviews
Don’t use your work email address
Help other people find jobs too
Look for ways to increase your perceived value
Prepare a references list in advance
Choose references who are ok to be contacted
Prepare reference letters in advance
Arriving too early is as bad as arriving late for interviews
Use video to improve your interviewing
Always bring a good mood
Drive interviews to questions for which you have great answers
Scan your resume files for computer viruses
Show you have a proven success record
The older you are, the more you need to be up-to-date
In a recession, don’t read the newspaper
At interview end, ask for the next steps
Roles may take months to fill, so apply to older ads too
Fully understand the contract before you sign
Summer job search doesn’t end when summer starts
Get your resume as close as possible to the hiring decision maker
Only send updated resumes
Bring resume copies to job interviews
Bring resumes to job fairs
Bring resumes to networking events
Never badmouth anyone in interviews
Less popular job boards mean fewer competitors
Check resume links aren’t broken
Use popular job boards to gauge demand
Schedule interviews for time of day when you’re best
Quantify your achievements as much as you can
Be prepared to back up your resume claims
Never say you’re “willing to do any job”
Failing interviews doesn’t mean you’re a failure
Job search doesn’t end with your interview
Job search doesn’t end when you get an offer
Always give companies the impression you’re interviewing elsewhere too
If you blog about work, include it in your resume
Move where there’s the most demand
Put your LinkedIn url on your resume
Job listings specify salary to filter out candidates
Dress for success with colors you look good in
Spend half your day looking, half your day improving your skills
Choose references who have great things to say about you
Aim to be referred internally
Be gracious
Know your compensation priorities besides salary
Let companies bring up salary numbers first
Tell friends about your job search
Tell ex-colleagues about your job search
Tell ex-clients about your job search
Tell family about your job search
Stay in touch with updates until you stop looking
Volunteer your work skills to get experience
Don’t flirt in interviews
Keep your job search secret if you’re employed
Use a dedicated job search email address
Don’t use your personal email address for job search
Respond to job ads with point-by-point cover letters
Know your market value before talking salary
Aim for multiple job offers
Don’t send out more resumes than you can track
Connect with targeted companies on social media
Spellcheck your resume
Get someone else to proofread your resume
Get someone else to proofread your LinkedIn profile
Only apply to companies you’ve researched
Only apply to companies where you have the recruiter’s contact information
Email recruiters with attention-getting subject lines
Keep work jargon to a minimum for HR
Remember names by using them out loud repeatedly
Freelance consult on the side while looking
Be ready to justify resume gaps
Ignore spam titled “I would like to offer you a job!”
Date your resume in the footer
Treat job interviews like company consults
Check if past bosses want you back
Say you’ll follow up and do it
Make a work portfolio
Resumes should include language proficiency
Mention having other offers when it’s true
Ask for interviews in cover letters
If you’re not a good fit, give the job lead to someone who is
Ask recruiters for resume feedback
Prepare interview questions in advance
Practice with questions they’re likely to ask
Follow online job search forums where experts hang out
Include relevant keywords in resumes
Answer one work-related question online per day
Know your weaknesses
Know your strengths
Follow forums where industry recruiters hang out
Don’t blast resumes
Don’t use resume distribution services
Use a job search organizer
Don’t spam recruiters
Ask people how they found the job you want
One page resumes are best
Exercise regularly
Sleep well
Chase stress with a good laugh everyday
A cover letter’s goal is to get your resumes read
A resume’s goal is to get interview invites
The more targeted a message, the more likely to be heard
Every time of year is job search time of year
Job listing language is the one to communicate in
Newly-funded startups tend to hire
Venture capitalists can recommend you for their portfolio companies
Don’t do free work as part of the interview process
Job interviews are about how you can help the employer, not vice-versa
Be careful when copying other people’s resume templates
Do what you need to stay positive
Only apply to companies you’re passionate about joining
Keep track of your successes with numbers
Include your best LinkedIn recommendation on your resume
Know the signs of job search depression to avoid it
Resumes should have no more than 3 font sizes
The biggest text on your resume should be your name
Google yourself before companies do
How your name appears on your resume is how companies will google it
Create social media profiles to improve Google results
Use LinkedIn as your online CV
Use Twitter to network and share advice
Use Facebook to reach out to people after-hours
Use Reddit to answer work-related questions
Use Pinterest to pin images of your best work-related tips
Use Instagram to show pictures of yourself in action
Use YouTube to show yourself in action
Use SlideShare to post presentations given in action
Use Google+ if it’s popular in your industry
Always follow up after interviews
Always send thanks after interviews
Follow up again later, such as when you have an offer
Learn to recognize bad employers before applying
Never include ‘references available upon request’ in your resume
Sharing expertise online attracts jobs
Don’t only job search online
Don’t only job search offline
Your resume filename should be Firstname_Lastname_resume.docx
Store resumes online where they can be easily shared
Keep resume copies on your smartphone
Ask an ex-boss for a practice interview
Never assume it was discrimination
Use LinkedIn to prove if companies hire people like you
Only apply to companies that have hired people like you
Propose creation of a role by showing how much revenue you would generate
Propose creation of a role by showing how much money you would save employers
Be wary of signing anything that isn’t a contract
Get help if you’re depressed
Research companies by talking to ex-employees
Keep in mind industry resume standards
Talk with your partner before accepting anything
Unemployment is not a good time to start a company
Make your job search viral with a bounty
Get inspired by guerilla job search tactics
Free-to-post job boards are mostly worthless
Persistence does pay off
Don’t wait for recruiters to respond
Get recommendation letters before your last day of work
The best time to research companies is before applying
Track resume views with tools like Yesware
Interview dress should be one level above what employees wear in company photos online
The moment you feel comfortable in a job is the moment to start thinking about your next one
Mention your full-time availability in your email signature
Mention your full-time availability on your social media profiles
Never accept the first offer (really)
If a company rejects you, ask them if they can refer you to partners or clients
Resume testimonial > summary > objective
Check company news headlines before applying
Target no more than 5 companies at a time
Join a job search club
Your LinkedIn profile can include everything your resume couldn’t
Optimize your LinkedIn headline to get more views
Optimize your LinkedIn profile for referrals
Take advantage of free job search consults for second opinions
The more you target a company, the more likely you are to get their attention
Do as many information interviews as you can
Speak at industry meetups to gain exposure
Speak at startup conferences to position yourself as someone to hire
Treat recruiters as you’d like to be treated
Plan to be in a quiet place for phone interviews
Record phone interviews on your smartphone for analysis later
Test your computer setup before video interviews
Model your resume on a targeted company’s employees’
Learn at least one new work skill for which demand is growing
Volunteer your skills for organizations that might be able to hire you
Aim to apply to as few companies as possible
Use positive action verbs in resumes
Show promotions on resumes
Resumes should focus on achievements, not responsibilities
Use Facebook Ads to target people directly
Use Google AdWords to target people directly
Manage your job search like a marketing campaign
Look for ways to get around gatekeepers
Ask your alumni association for help
Ask chambers of commerce which companies are arriving and need to hire
Replacing employees on maternity or sick leave gets your foot in the door
Gauge skill trends with industry job boards
Be polite unless being rude will help more
Be someone people want to work with
A resume hobbies section makes you relatable
Prepare a 30-60 second elevator pitch
Fax machines are barely used anymore but still checked
Dumbing down your resume will make you bitter
Consider adjacent roles if they’re more in demand
Propose trial-by-freelance as an audition for both sides
Target employees at companies that reward them for referring candidates
Contribute content to a company blog or social profile
Keep in mind teleworking and remote jobs
Career changes are easier when employer-driven
Ask for leads in non-work settings
Ask recent hires what worked for them
Ask recent ex-employees why they left
Better to reschedule than be late
If you’re going to be late, call ahead asap
Keep video testimonials on your smartphone
Warn references when you think they’ll be contacted
Don’t answer when a recruiter calls unless prepared
Always give supporting examples in interviews
Only apply to companies you can legally work for
Rehearse your interview stories to make them as compelling as possible
Post videos of yourself in action
Volunteer online by joining an active open-source project
A good excuse to follow up is to confirm resume reception
A good excuse to call a company is to check if an ad is still open
Practice a winning handshake
Be polite when you can’t shake hands
Accept all interview invites so you can get practice
The more leads you have, the less nervous you’ll be
Quality of boss is most likely to determine quality of work life
It’s ok to walk into a company and ask point blank about openings
Look for ways to help a company before applying there directly
Attracting job offers leads to better results than searching for them
Do NOT vent online after a bad interview
Use a creative resume as a way to demonstrate relevant skills
Your personal website should showcase achievements while providing downloadable resumes and full contact information
Never pay to submit your resume
Managing an industry job board is a great way to hear of openings first
Use Google’s Advanced Search to find job listings that have been buried
Post a job wanted listing on Craigslist
LinkedIn job listings signal if you’re connected to anyone at the company
Stock screeners can tell which companies are growing
Reply asap to any inquiries about your resume and status
The interview starts when you arrive on site
Use social media to teach recruiters how to hire people like you
Network with industry recruiters online
Network with industry influencers online
Be someone that industry recruiters want to follow online
Get a smartphone with a data connection so you can react quickly
When asking for recommendations, provide a template to make responding easier
The more placeable a candidate, the more likely a placement agency will help you
Get a recruiter’s attention by helping them
Ask friends to bring along relevant contacts for coffee
Attend events to meet specific people
Always personalize messages when contacting strangers online
Send a recruiter a memorable gift
Know your industry’s biases
Ask random industry people out for drinks
When thanking, gift > phone call > handwritten letter > email > social media message
Learning to code is a hot skill in any industry
Don’t give up
Free bonus
Download this list so you can print it out to keep it handy.
This free download contains:
All 366 job search tips listed above
The tips have been categorized for easier reference
In every category, I've highlighted effective tips that job seekers tend to not know
Click the image below to get access to 366 Job Search Tips for Every Day of 2016 (categorized):
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Question of the article
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