Finding a job can be an incredibly challenging experience for everyone. If you’re in a very high-demand career then that’s great news. But for the rest, it’s very frustrating and it really affects your self-worth. There are ways to make job hunting just a little bit easier, not easy to the point that you can immediately find a job. But just easiest enough to take a bit of the stress away and better figure out your options. These are some of the best tips for finding a job at any career level.

Figure out what you truly want

Right before beginning the job search, you should first take a step back and truly think about what you’re wanting. The better you know yourself, the higher chances that you’ll find a job that brings you a lot of satisfaction. Also, think about what exactly you’re wanting to do in this job. What else is important to you? This can be the job position, money, the culture, the company itself, and so many other options. You’ll also want to think about what makes you feel comfortable too.

Think about your target companies

After you reflect on what you would like out of your career, think about what type of companies you’d like to work for. There are many options for doing research such as Glassdoor, or reaching out to people on LinkedIn to ask questions about said company. This will also give you a general idea of how the company culture is too.

Create a schedule

You’ll want to stay organized while doing the job hunt, so be sure to create a schedule that can help you search and apply for applications efficiently. This will determine how many hours per day that you will dedicate to applications and networking. Be sure to always have your resume and cover letter tailored to each job that you’re applying for. What may help you stay organized would be creating a spreadsheet on what jobs you’ve applied to and what applications have an interview.

Create an online presence

This could help get you some recognition. Network websites such as Linkedin are an excellent way to network, and it showcases some of your experience. Many recruiters check applicants' Linkedin profiles as well. What you will also want to do is create a portfolio and maybe even your website and show off some of your previous work. This can help recruiters get an idea of your experience and how good you are at the job.

Network

Networking is a powerful tool and you can’t forget to utilize it. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Networking is more than just collecting contacts online Linkedin, but it’s also getting out there in the real world to meet people. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people, such as recruiters or hiring managers. Also, don’t forget about network parties and social interest clubs, those are also great ways to network.

Tailor your resume

It may seem like a lot of work, but it’s crucial to change your resume and your cover letter for each job that you apply to. Look thoroughly in each job description, check out what special keywords and skills they use. You’ll want to change your resume to use those keywords and skills, but to also show your achievements being measured.

Hiring managers will be looking through many resumes, meaning they’ll only quickly glance at yours. So you have to utilize this by picking out keywords. The ATS system is software that also weeds out applications, so this is another reason why it’s very important to thoroughly go through each job description.

Don’t limit yourself to just job websites

You should never limit yourself to searching for jobs only on job searching websites. You should also go onto the company website and search for open positions there as well. Veracity Capital is a great example of this, as they have a Careers page, learn more here about it.

Reach out to recruiting agencies

Another method you can try for job searching is submitting your resume to a recruiting company. Once they have a job that matches your resume, they’ll give you an interview and then submit the information to their client. This is a simple way to do job hunting, but don’t rely solely on this, as many people daily submit their resumes to these websites too. So to sum it up, you’ll be in a lot of competition to capture the recruiter’s attention.

Keep developing new skills and earn certifications

What will help you stand out from the crowd would be to constantly expand your skillset and earn certifications that involve your industry. These are both great ways to just continue learning more and to put that newfound knowledge to the test. Another added benefit is the fact that this also shows the hiring managers and recruiters that you’re always striving to improve yourself for your career. You can find plenty of free and paid courses online. As for certifications, just do some research on what will help you stand out.

Stay prepared for job interviews

It’s best to continuously stay prepared for job interviews. So practicing them in a mock interview with a friend or a colleague is a great way to do this. The more comfortable you are with yourself in an interview- environment, the more likely it is that you’ll succeed.

Write a thank-you note

A quick email expressing gratitude is a great way to show your interest and enthusiasm for the employer. While this may or may not help your chances of getting the job, it will at least help you stand out a little from the other applicants.

Follow up

A week to two weeks after your interview with the hiring manager or recruiter, you should then try to send a follow-up email. This not only helps with expressing your interest in the job but also helps you get an idea of how far along you are in the process. Just be sure you’re coming off as professional and not desperate.

Understand that job hunting takes a while

It’s unfortunate, but it’s nearly impossible to get a new job within a short period. It often takes months, sometimes even years before the right opportunity will come along. It may be easier said than done, but just continue to keep your head up and keep trying. Just know eventually you’ll get the job that you deserve, but it just may take a lot of hard work and finding the right person to help you get there.