Searching for a Job?

We know…there are just too many options!

When it comes to job searching, there really are no limits. Some of your friends may have picked up a job either through a prior experience or through a networking opportunity, coursework; whatever the case, there are endless opportunities out there.

My best  advice in your job searching is to never limit yourself in the jobs you are seeking. Although it is appropriate to use an advanced search, be careful about your keywords. Also, play to your strengths. What you may have done in the past may not necessarily be your future.

Places to look online: 

•  CareerShift
•  LinkedIn
• Hokies4Hire
• Plain and simple: a Google search

When a job in your field is posted, often times, you will see that they are using several portals to post the job.

Choose the user-friendliest site you know. I personally think CareerShift makes it easy to search, choose, and save postings. Often times, these sites will direct you to their company website or another job portal to apply. That’s okay! Just follow the steps it takes you on until you can submit.

In all of these resources, be sure to build some type of profile.

Personalizing yourself online, especially with job posting sites, speaks to your own brand and gives you an advantage because it enables employers to look for you while you are looking for them.

Building your profile includes: 

•  First and last name
•  Phone and email for easy contacting
•  A general version of your resume
• A headline stating what you are currently doing

 In online searching, I always like to think less is more…to some extent.

• I search the most important general key word I can think of that has relevance to what I want to do.
• Location is a big deal to me, because that affects the pay I would want to make.
• Therefore, I choose 4-5 different locations I would be willing to work in. You can choose to do less or more; however, do keep in mind the places you would really like to be at in the next stage of your life.
• I think it’s been really helpful to specify the experience level. This way my search results don’t get clouded with positions that I am far too under qualified for.
• With all that in mind, everything else should be a broad array of opportunities in terms of what you would be willing to apply to.
• Some shortcuts you could use would be sync up information from your LinkedIn account, or allow the job portal to pull information automatically from your resume; be sure to check the information gets plugged into the correct places.

More tips!

• Apply to as many openings as you can stand. It never hurts to have options.
•  Obviously by concerned with making those applications the best they can be. Always remember: quality AND quantity.
• Do follow-ups! Especially when it’s a job you really want. Phone is more personal, but email can work if a phone number isn’t available.
•  Be prepared to answer questions anytime anywhere (I once did an impromptu interview while at the gym, it helps to just practice your ability to compose really quickly).
• Always maintain contacts, even if a position you wanted isn’t available at the time, it’s possible something else may come around later. Just maintain grace with your contact; check in every now and then, and eventually your name may be called.
• Save a version of a really solid resume and cover letter. Throughout your experiences applying to jobs, tweak these documents to cater to the specific companies. This saves you time and it personalizes your applications.

Job searching can be a really fun process! Be flexible, efficient, and open to possibilities; and you’ll land yourself a pretty fun opportunity.