Speed Up Your Job Search With These 5 Tips
Welcome to The Standout!
In Seth Godin’s book Purple Cow, he says that if you saw a brown cow in a field you probably wouldn’t tell anyone. But if you saw a purple cow in a field you most certainly would tell people!
In other words, you must be remarkable for people to remember you.
“But I’m not remarkable,” I can hear you say. That’s not true. Everyone has something special to offer, even if it's not immediately obvious.
Grab a notebook and make a list of things that make you different. Then highlight these qualities in your resume, LinkedIn profile, and during interviews.
Job hunting is about getting attention from the right people in the right way. And being unique is one of the best ways to get attention. 🦄
Check out our latest podcast episode…
In the newest episode of The Standout Jobseeker, Sydney Myers sits down with Alex Pires, founder of ISC—a global recruitment firm specializing in technology companies. They delve into the fascinating world of sourcing, uncovering how recruiters use it to discover hidden talent pools and match job seekers with opportunities they didn’t even know existed.
But that’s not all—we also explore the latest AI features in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSes) and address the concerns swirling around them. Should you be worried? Tune in to find out!
You can listen to The Standout Jobseeker on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and pretty much everywhere else.
In today’s edition of The Standout, we offer the following five tips to help make your job search easier and faster:
Here’s the first tip…
🚀 Turn on “Open to Work” in your LinkedIn profile 🚀
If you’re unemployed, turn on “Open to Work” in your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn’s data shows that using this feature doubles your chances of receiving a message from a recruiter. It’s an easy way to attract twice as many job opportunities!
Next step: To turn the “Open to Work” feature on, click the blue “Open to” button at the bottom. If you have a job and don’t want people to see you’re job searching, choose to have the “Open to Work” feature visible to recruiters only. To fully optimize your LinkedIn profile, use Jobscan’s LinkedIn Optimization Tool.
💲 Give a salary range, not a number 💲
If you’re asked about salary requirements, don’t give a single figure. Instead, offer a range. Companies have an approved salary range for every job. Providing your own salary range will increase your chances of fitting within their authorized budget.
Next step: Check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook. It provides detailed salary data, job outlook information, and industry trends.
❌ Eliminate these words on your resume ❌
Your resume should be as concise as possible. Remove unnecessary words like also, on, the, and and wherever possible (but not if it will confuse the reader). Shorter, more direct sentences improve readability and appear more professional and polished.
Next step: Review your resume and identify unnecessary words. Rewrite to be more concise. For example, instead of writing “Managed the team on various projects and also handled the budget,” write “Managed team projects and budget.”
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📝 Add the exact job title to your resume 📝
It’s crucial to put the exact title of the job you’re applying for on your resume. Why? Because hiring managers usually search for job titles when looking for suitable candidates. Put the job title in your headline or, if you haven’t held the job before, put it in your resume summary.
Next step: Use Jobscan’s resume scanner to make sure all your resumes are properly tailored with the exact job titles. If not, you’ll receive the following alert:
💼 How you can benefit from employee referral programs 💼
Did you know that over 70% of companies offer employee referral bonuses that range from $1,000 to $5,000 for each successful hire? This is why you should be active in alumni networks or professional groups related to your field. Being active increases your chances of connecting with employees who can refer you.
Next step: In addition to joining alumni networks and professional groups, try engaging with employees on platforms like LinkedIn. You can also reach out to employees at target companies and request informational interviews to learn about their roles and company culture.
👀 More Insights From the Jobscan Blog 👀
We asked newly hired job seekers about their cover letter habits and talked to recruiting and career experts to hear the industry’s stance on cover letters. Their answers may surprise you.
In this guide, you will learn expert tips on following up, crafting your follow-up email, and staying on top of your job applications.
Creating a compelling resume with ChatGPT is easy. Follow our guide to quickly create a professional and impactful resume that stands out.
That’s it for this edition. I hope these tips have sparked some new ideas for your job search.
See you in two weeks!
Robert Henderson, CPRW, Resume Expert