Get Your Foot in the Door with These Surefire Job Search Strategies - CareerAlley

Get Your Foot in the Door with These Surefire Job Search Strategies - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle Albert Einstein Are you sending out dozens of resumes a day but not getting any responses? The job search is a frustrating process no matter what, but if youre not even getting to the interview stage, it can seem devastating. You know that if you just had the opportunity to talk to someone, you could convince them that youre the right candidate for the job! Take these tips to heart, and youll be given that opportunity in no time. Hit the pavement. Literally get your foot in the door. Show up and hand in your resume. You can ask if its possible to talk to someone in HR about possible openings. The key to success with this one is to be nice to the receptionist, as he or she is often the gatekeeper. Get a professional resume edit. And have them look at your cover letter, too, while theyre at it! Just one typo can make an employer put your resume in the no pile, particularly at a time when they have so many qualified candidates to consider. Its also possible that youre not highlighting your experience in the best possible way, or using an old format. A professional resume writer can help guide you to creating the resume that represents you best. more Resume Help Ask for an informational meeting. Its not an interview, but it is an opportunity to get face time with the people that matter. Take the opportunity to learn more about the company and your field, but dont be afraid to mention details about yourself and what you are looking for. If you make the right impression then, theyre likely to call you back if and when a relevant position opens up. Mail your resume. If youre answering an online ad, Ive got bad news for you: youre among 300 to 400 others (on average) who did the same thing. Luck plays a big part in whether or not you are actually called in, since they are unlikely to look through all of them. Instead, theyll likely sift through just enough to find several qualified candidates to bring in for interviews and then stop looking. So how do you increase the odds that your resume gets read? Well, first, email it in! You cant avoid being a part of that lottery altogether, but you can increase your chances of getting read by also mailing or even faxing it in as well. Having the physical piece of paper in front of them may make it more likely that youre called. Create a digital resume. Another way to get your resume to stand out from the pile is to make it different! Of course, you also want to include the traditional format, but if you can provide a link to an eye-catching digital resume, it might help you to get their attention. What is a digital resume? Anything you want it to be. You can use a blog, website, or even social media to showcase your talents, and provide links to everything from graphs, videos, and more to make your case. Make use of the email subject. Are you just writing Resume or your name as the email subject? Youre missing out on an opportunity. Instead, include a brief list of your qualifications, like this: Skilled Nurse with 8 Years of Experience in a Hospital Setting. More Resume Review Downplay your experience. This may seem counterintuitive, but it can be the solution if (and only if) you are overqualified for the positions you are seeking. Maybe youre looking for a better work-life balance or arent having any luck seeking more advanced jobs. Either way, potential employers wont know that, so find ways to make it look like youre a better fit. If the problem is that you have too many years of experience, it is now customary to only include the last ten years that can go a long way. Job titles look too fancy? Tone them down. It can also sometimes help to leave off advanced degrees if you fear that you may look over-educated. Make sure youre qualified. The other side of this, of course, is that you may be applying for jobs that youre under qualified for. You can fix this problem by aiming at jobs more suitable to your experience level or you can get more experience. But how do you get more experience if no one is hiring? Taking classes, getting a degree, doing volunteer work, or taking on freelance or consulting jobs can make a big difference. Career Tip of the Day: Suggested Reading: We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ Visit Joeys profile on Pinterest Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search