In the current job market, landing a position in your dream career may seem impossible. This is particularly the case if you’re fighting it out with others in a competitive, lucrative sector where applicant numbers are high but vacancies are low.
However, it’s not impossible to secure your dream job. Stiff competition makes it more difficult to find a new employer or progress through the ranks, but there are various ways in which you can stand out from the crowd. The following guide details seven helpful tips to ensure your job search in a competitive market is a success.
1. Be patient
Patience is a tough quality to look for when on the job hunt. This is especially the situation if you’re in the unfortunate position of being unemployed. Yet patience is a quality that can be helpful for a number of reasons.
First of all, an impatient approach may see you abandon your dreams and settle for whatever’s available, and that’s typically a career with both lower wages and low job satisfaction. Furthermore, burnout is a real possibility if you go into your job search with the expectation of landing a role immediately.
With the job market as it is, a realistic outlook is a requirement—as is the persistence to stick with it until you accomplish your goal.
2. Display a professional presentation in all areas
Appearances matter. If you fail to produce an overall presentation of yourself that is smart and professional, this is going to be viewed in a negative light by employers.
This begins with your initial communication. For instance, say you’re applying for a job and connecting with a company via email. The email itself is unlikely to include a plethora of details—that’s what your cover letter and resumé are for—but it still needs to be crafted with care. If your email is littered with typos and grammatical mistakes, employers won’t look beyond this message when considering your application.
Understandably, the same also applies to your resumé. Yet, unlike an email which takes on a straightforward approach in terms of layout, you have a lot of creative freedom when producing a resumé. With that in mind, you want to avoid it being overly busy and cluttered. A clean design that is clearly formatted will not only catch the eye of employers, but also be easy for them to consume. Creative Market has a helpful guide on designing a resumé, including color scheme tips and how to implement a professional portrait photo.
Another part of your presentation you need to invest in is your own appearance. Even if it’s simply a video interview, always dress appropriately and be professional.
3. Refine your online presence
In this day and age, when an employer wants to find out more about you, they turn to one source: Google. They will do a search of your name to see what turns up; they’ll look at your social media activity; they’ll judge you for any content which has any negative connotations.
Due to this, it’s important that you clean up your online presence. If you have any questionable Tweets or Facebook posts that contain offensive language, ensure these are deleted. If your LinkedIn profile is bare-bones, beef it up and reach out to connections for recommendations. See what other websites pop up that contain your name and analyze if it’s better for them to be eliminated from the equation.
4. Improve your education
Thanks to online learning, there are a plethora of opportunities when it comes to boosting your education. From developing a new skill to learning a second language, they can all help to improve your resumé and make you stand out from the crowd.
Perhaps the best path to take in that regard, however, is to earn a degree. A degree not only looks impressive on your resumé, but it also delivers expert knowledge in your chosen subject. Say you work, or plan to work, in business analytics—you could study online at Aston University on a part-time basis to earn a masters in business analytics.
Certain educational opportunities can be completed within a matter or days, while others can take years. Yet ultimately, they can all assist with pushing your resumé to the top of the pile.
5. Take on voluntary or freelance work
Another way to pad out your resumé is by taking on work while you wait for your dream opportunity to appear. Along with helping to occupy your time—particularly if you are currently unemployed—it’s another way to enhance your skillset.
Finding paid freelance work is perhaps the ideal option, and this can be done by utilizing a freelance portal such as Upwork or PeoplePerHour. Alternatively, if this isn’t a viable route, you could search for an internship or voluntary work. You may not receive a wage from doing this, but the rewards can pay off in the long run.
6. Network
Experience. Education. Presentation. All of these points matter, of course, but opening the door to your dream job opportunity could come down to one aspect: who you know.
This is why networking is important. Fortunately, these days, you don’t necessarily have to attend events or trade shows to connect with others. In fact, there are virtual networking events which take place within practically all industries. Add in that social media is a haven for connections, and networking has never been easier.
7. The interview
After all of your hard work, you have secured a job interview. The butterflies are flying. The stress is making sleep difficult. You’re playing out potential scenarios over and over again in your head.
You know the importance of this interview. However, rather than letting nerves and anxiety get the better of you, it’s essential you put your best self on display. Dress for success. Do your research about the company you’re applying for. Be authentic while also demonstrating your personality and enthusiasm.
Once the interview is completed, send a quick follow-up email thanking the employer for the opportunity. It’s a small gesture, but it might go as far as securing you the job and train your employees.
