Job-Seeking Tips to Aid Your Career Search

Jason Elrick

April 1, 2014

I recently contacted a professional in the engineering field who had been with his organization for close to 20 years. Suddenly faced with a career change, he had no idea were to start since it had been so long since he’d last been out job-hunting. Can you relate to his position? In making a career change or actively pursuing and needing to find work, you’ll find that a number of things can make career hunting very difficult and downright discouraging. While it might sound like a few simple steps to write a cover letter, create your resume, and practice before an interview, there are a number of details that you might leave out or even forget about. Here are a few important ones to keep in mind:

Ask for advice
When seeking employment and putting a resume together, ask for help from professionals and leaders. Since you want to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward, don’t hesitate to ask for help. You may feel like you can accomplish things on your own, but without input from others, you might overlook something critical to your job-hunting success.

Practice
Role play. Answering questions as if you are in an interview is key. You want to make sure you are truthful, but always practice your answers so you can communicate what you want the interviewer to know about you. You also want to make sure you do your homework on the companies and the people you will be meeting with. Anticipate some of the questions that might come up during the interview. You’ll also want to practice asking your interviewers some well-thought-through questions!

Stay Positive
Employment hunting is time-consuming, and it often takes longer than you’d like to hear back from a prospective employer. The whole process can be very discouraging and downright stressful. But don’t give up! Stay positive no matter what feedback and news you have or haven’t gotten. The next great opportunity may be right around the corner.

Sell Yourself
When you reach the interviewing stage, remember that you must sell yourself. Show how you can add value to the organization and team. Convince the organization that life will be better for them if you are on their team.

Network
Since finding a new career opportunity can be challenging and take time, you’ll need to keep networking. Spread the word that you’re job-hunting so friends and family can refer you to their connections. Even groups or churches that you belong to can be a great avenue for finding employment.

Hunting for a job may be challenging and take some time. The professional I mentioned earlier had some discouraging moments in his job search before it resulted in a satisfying new career. But if you get advice like he did, practice your answers, maintain a positive attitude, sell yourself, and network, hopefully you too will find not just a job but also a career you’ll love!

If you’re thinking about fudging the truth on your resume…think again! Here’s why!

Is your resume already in our database? If not, please post it here so we can find it next time something comes up that’s a good fit for your qualifications. Nothing satisfies us more than making a great match! We look forward to helping you expand your career.