How do you diversify your job search strategy and explore other opportunities in your field?

Job changing can be a complex and challenging process, but it's an important strategy to consider if you're looking to advance your career or explore new opportunities. Here are my top two tips to help you develop an effective job changing strategy: 1. Tailor your job applications: Customize your cover letter and resume for each job you apply for. Highlight your relevant skills and experience that match the requirements of the job posting. If you are switching career tracks, write a summary in your cover letter why you are interested in making a change. 2. Understand the interview process! Choose some situations before the interview to study using a Situation, Task, Action, and Results (STAR) format.

I agree. I am resigning soon and will be mainly job hunting on Upwork, OLJ.ph, and other freelancing platforms. I will be checking out many VA agencies targeting remote talents in the Philippines. So far I'm getting interviews thru VA agencies.

I regularly advise candidates to tweak their resume to fit different opportunities they are interested in. Although this might sound a bit daunting, many times it just mean's changing some keywords in bullets they already have on their resume. You can then save multiple resumes for different industries etc. which will allow you to tweak them more quickly and efficiently in the future.

This is the right action, but it can be a GARGANTUAN EFFORT if you're applying to all kinds of different roles, industries, company stages and functions. The smartest thing to do is to customize your resume and LinkedIn profile, including your headline and about section, to ONE industry, function, role and company stage at a time. This means you get to focus on positioning yourself as a perfect candidate for those handful of jobs. That will put you on top of the search results for recruiters and will also make you stand out from the crowd, the majority of who are applying to everything under the sun and don't have enough energy to customize their resume to every different role they apply to.

The headline is bad advice. Although I agree with what the paragraph says, anytime you tell a candidate "expand your options", they start spraying and praying. That then decreases their chances of landing an interview compared to a scenario where they are thoughtfully focusing on 1-2 key industries, roles, functions and company stages. Also, don't look for what YOU want, instead, start looking at what COMPANIES want (aka start reading actual job descriptions). Find a job description that best captures your ideal next role and tailor your LinkedIn profile, resume, headline and about section to match that role and its keywords. You'll have a smaller number of opportunities, but your hit rate will be much higher and you won't burn out.

I can't emphasize this enough - under no circumstance do a cold reach out if you have a mutual connection with the person. Always ask for introductions and referrals. Follow the yellow brick road. Don't spam people with cold messages, especially if you've never met them in person and you're using a canned template that makes it glaringly obvious that you haven't checked out their profile and what they've posted recently.

Networking strategically may seem daunting, but it can be as easy as inviting a former colleague for a virtual coffee chat. Take the opportunity to share your background, experience, and accomplishments while also showing interest in hearing about theirs. This builds trust and creates mutual respect, rather than just asking for a favor. This week, why not message a former classmate, colleague, manager, or friend to catch up and nurture those relationships? You never know what opportunities may arise in the future. Remember, networking is all about building meaningful connections.

Don't give up! The right job is out there for you. It may not seem like it is, but it's there. Remember to celebrate others' wins, your own, and vocalize your need for help. It can be challenging, but it will be worth asking for help from others, whether a career coach, resume writer, friend, or manager. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

According to a study, 25% of candidates sent thank-you messages after their interviews, however, 80% of HR managers found these messages to be beneficial while evaluating candidates. Thank the interviewer for taking the time to speak with you, and express your appreciation for the opportunity to learn more about the company and the position. Briefly summarize your qualifications and reiterate your interest in the job. Finally, close by thanking the interviewer again and expressing hope about speaking with them again soon. Email is an acceptable way to send the thank-you letter, but you could also send a handwritten note if you prefer. Just make sure to send it within 24 hours of the interview to ensure that it has maximum impact.