Free Advice
3 Things to do to Get Hired By The New Year
by Brad Karsh: President and Founder of JobBound
Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, and while traditionally it’s been true that hiring slows down as holidays approach, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t work to do to get yourself in a great position for the new year. The truth is, what separates successful job hunters from the less successful is what they do right now, before the holidays.
As a former recruiting director and as a current job search expert, I know how to help everyone plan for career success. Here are three simple steps for the fall that can help you land a job this winter. It’s as easy as 1-2-3!
1. Get your resume in order. More than anything else, this one piece of paper determines whether or not you will get the job you want. As you can imagine, that piece of paper needs to be great. On your resume, you need to focus on accomplishments instead of job descriptions. Most recruiters will tell you that the majority of resumes don’t sell an applicant hard enough because they simply list the activities that anyone holding that position has ever done. If what is written on your resume can be written by the person who had the job before you, after you, or next to you, then you haven’t done yourself justice.
2. Network, network, network. The single best way to get a job is to know somebody. Yes, it should be based on merit alone, but unfortunately that isn’t how it works. Tap into as many connections as you can. A great place to start is to reach out to your professional network. Chances are, you know more people than you think. You can also get in touch with alumi of your alma mater; they’re usually happy to hear from fellow alums. If you don’t know many alumni in positions to make a difference for you, contact your former school’s career center. They often have dedicated professionals who’s job is to help out alums either for free or for a small fee.
Don’t forget you can also network with your neighbors, your dentist, family friends, your barber etc. Remember roughly sixty percent of job seekers get a job through networking!
3. Get involved. Most employers want smart, well-rounded, involved employees. Join a club, get a part-time job, and volunteer for a charity. It’s even more impressive, if you get involved in a big way. In this down economy hiring managers will certainly understand resume gaps, but they won’t want people who simply sat around at home and weren’t proactive and productive while they weren’t working. Now as always, companies want to hire leaders and accomplished candidates. If you prove that you have those skills, when it comes time to make the hiring decision, you’re the obvious choice.
The new year holds countless, bright possibilities and great opportunities. If you get started on these three, simple steps, you are setting yourself up for future success!