Whether you are looking to change your job or are entering the job market for the first time, the job search process can be challenging. The first step in the job search process is to know yourself, your strengths, weaknesses, and the kind of work you want to do. Clarity on what your expectations are from the job -such as title, money, location, culture, or flexibility – makes the job search process more streamlined.
Once you get an interview call, preparing for the interview is critical to ensure you get the job in the company that you are interested in.
According to Robert Moment, by adopting a proactive strategy to the job search and interview process, you can boost your chances of getting hired immensely. A job search coach can help you optimize your job search and interview process.
What can the job search coach help you with?
Whether you wish to develop professional skills, make a change in your career, or overcome challenges in your job search process, hiring the right job search coach can streamline the process.
An experienced job search coach assists you with the following specific job search process:
- Determining the jobs that match with your skills, qualification, and interests
- Developing proactive and actionable strategy for job search
- Identifying your strengths
- Overcoming your weaknesses
- Formulating a powerful resume as well as customized cover letters
- Assisting you on networking
- Preparing for interviews
- Encouraging and motivating you through the job search process
Here are some of the job search tips and strategies as well as the critical interview skills that your job search coach can assist you with to get you hired:
Expert tips on job search that your job search coach can help you with
Reach out: Instead of waiting for the “dream job” to become available, study the field or industry that you are interested in and zero in on 10 to 20 companies that you would love to work for, Reach out to the professionals who work in these companies, share your admiration for the work they do and ask for their advice on building your career. You can try to set up informational interviews with peers in the company. You can also research the challenges faced in the specific industry and craft a solution that you can post through a blog or LinkedIn. The idea behind sharing a solution is to get noticed.
Challenge conventional wisdom: While you should not completely disregard your passion when it comes to your career, it need not be the sole criteria for choosing a job. According to the author of So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love. Cal Newport, the conventional‘ follow your passion’ advice is wrong. A recent study shows about 71% of workers in the U.S. across 19 industries are unhappy with their current job. Many of the disengaged employees hire a job search coach to change their employer.
On the other hand, most people who love their work did not stick to the convention of following their pre-existing passion. Their passion developed over time as they took control of their career and got better at doing their job.
Build, cultivate, and leverage a network of contacts: Building a robust network of contacts not only helps you find a job but is crucial to progress in your career after you find a job. According to one study, 57% of positions are filled through referrals, networking contact, and networking sites. Studies also show that people who get hired through referrals earn 6% more than those who get hired through regular hires. Networking can be of three types: personal, operational, and strategic. Operational networking is about building relationships with professionals, colleagues, and suppliers that you interact with on a regular basis. Personal networking is about socializing that helps find support, knowledge, and referral opportunities. Strategic networking is about seeking a mentor, coach, and industry leaders who are beneficial to your career. The stronger your network, the more the job opportunities and higher the chances of you landing a job. It also helps get insights on what is available out there, which, in turn, helps you get strategic in terms of your job search.
Networking can also help you get an insider recommendation that is a highly-effective way to get the job you want. According to an estimate, 80% of positions are not posted on online platforms while a third of hires happen through referrals. Connecting and building relationships with people in the company of your interest will help you set yourself apart. Decision-makers give priority on interviewing people who are internally recommended before sorting through online applications.
Focus on your LinkedIn profile: Over 30 million companies are listed on LinkedIn, with 63 million people being in decision-making positions. More than 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn regularly to hire people. According to a study, 122 million people got a call for an interview through LinkedIn. These impressive LinkedIn statistics show how important it is to build a strong LinkedIn profile and to reach out to professionals and groups. You can request for referrals from a contact who is employed in the company that you want to work in. Your job search coach can help you craft a polished and professional-looking LinkedIn profile that highlights relevant skills.
Narrow search criteria: Use specific keywords that match with the specific location and your interests on job search engines. Narrowing the search criteria helps save time while providing more relevant job listings and less non-relevant listings that you have to filter out.
Craft a strong resume: According to studies, the average recruiter spends close to three minutes on each resume and makes up their mind on whether they should hire you within a minute of going through your resume. One out of five recruiters rejects a potential candidate before going through the entire resume. This is the reason why you need to build a strong resume that can make the right first impression within a minute.
Carefully prepare, proofread, and edit the resume. Spelling errors, poor grammar, or disorganized resume can lead to rejection because they are indicative of sloppiness. Keep the resume to the point and simple. Inappropriate fonts, emojis, too much design, clip art images, or overuse of cliches are some of the factors that lead to rejection.
Many first-time job seekers assume that the resume needs to be consistent through all job search efforts. Having multiple resumes gives you an edge and comes in handy when you are looking to apply for different positions within the same industry or the same position in various industries. You might be looking for telecommute opportunities as well. Instead of modifying your resume each time you send in a job application, create multiple strong resumes keeping in mind the different skill sets you need to showcase and highlight for different positions.
A professional job search coach can help you write your resume and ensure it is achievement-oriented with quantifiable achievements relevant to the position you are applying for. A job search coach specializes in tailoring your resume for each job application by studying the job description in detail. Utilizing these phrases and words in the job description strengthens your resume and showcases to the recruiter that you are the right fit.
Make your profile visible: In addition to posting resumes on company websites or job sites, a majority of employers prefer to reach out to passive candidates. Sourcing passive candidates help recruiters avoid sorting through a plethora of applications that are inevitable when they post jobs online.
Recruiters scour through the internet to find the right fit for the job, whether or not the candidate has shown interest in the job or the company. Apart from searching the internet, companies also use technology such as candidate sourcing programs that go through candidate databases to find a match.
To ensure these employers find you online, you need to make sure your profile and resume contain specific information on your qualifications, experience, skills, and credentials. The following elements are critical when building an online profile that is highly visible to recruiters:
- Use relevant keywords – If you are unsure about what keywords to include, utilize job search engines to search for jobs aligned with your qualifications. Go through the job descriptions and zero in on terms and phrases that fit with your qualifications and experience. Use these keywords in your resume.
- Job titles – Pay close attention to the job title you use in your resume. Employers are looking for candidates with relevant and highly specific experience and search online using specific job titles such as “Digital Sales Manager” or “Digital Marketing Associate.”
- Qualifications – Be specific while listing your qualifications and certifications.
- Skills – Ensure the resume contains the most relevant skills aligned with the job position you are applying for.
- Affiliations – Mention the professional organizations or industry groups that you are a member of.
Think about future prospects. Don’t focus on finding a job that you will love from day one. A majority of entry-level jobs are not glamorous. Rather than focusing on whether you love the job functions, think about what the job will look like in the next three to five years and what kind of skills you can develop during this timeframe. Specifically, at the entry-level, it is important to think about gaining experience, networking with top professionals in the industry, and the value the position adds to your resume.
Interview skills to get hired
Do your research: Although this may not look like an interview skill, it is important to know as much as possible about the company, the industry, and the job before attending the interview. A job search coach can help you conduct thorough background research on the company that helps you avoid ‘faux pas’ and coming across as unprepared during the interview.
Be polite: It is important to be polite to not only the interviewer but to everyone else that you meet on the way. There are instances where candidates who were rude to a person in the parking lot, the receptionist, or yelled at someone in the coffee shop ruined their chances of getting hired.
Be aware of body language. Body language can make or break your career. Actions definitely speak louder than your words when it comes to job interviews. How you present yourself impacts the success of the interview in a big way. Right from your hairstyle, outfit, accessories to everything else you are carrying can leave an impression.
According to a study, 34% of recruiters found shuffling papers or fiddling with pens as indicative of poor body language Clicking a pen, using excessive, wild hand gestures, touching your face and not smiling are some of the other common body language mistakes that can hamper your chances of getting hired. While wild gestures can make you look like you are out of control, touching your face frequently is considered as indicative of being dishonest and untrustworthy. Similarly, rubbing your neck or chin makes the interviewer think you are bored or uninterested.
While avoiding these mistakes, here are some simple ways to portray a positive body language during the interview:
- Squaring your shoulders and sitting up straight helps you look polished and confident. It also indicates to the recruiter that you respect the situation as well as the interviewer.
- Maintain eye contact, which helps you come across as honest but avoid staring at the interviewer that makes you look aggressive. In a survey, 67% of people did not appreciate candidates with their eyes cast down. Looking at the interviewer while talking and listening shows that you are engaged in the ongoing conversation.
- While it is important to nod to indicate you are listening or agree with something the interviewer is saying, avoid nodding too much. Too many nods may signal that you do not really care.
- Keep your hands in front of you and be relaxed instead of crossing your arms on your chest, which makes you look defensive and hostile. Gesturing naturally and keeping your hands in front of you makes you appear approachable and open.
- Smile naturally to come across as warm and friendly. This can also help you calm down if you are feeling jittery about the interview.
Be prepared for standard questions. Structured interviews are all about being able to predict how well the candidate performs on the job and whether he or she is the right fit for the company. Standard interview questions are designed on assessing your strengths, your past job performance, time management skills as well as your ability to handle teams or collaborate. There can also be additional questions related to your specific job role and the industry. Your job search coach can help you brainstorm on the possible questions and prepare powerful answers.
Work with the right job search coach
The job search coach not only mentors you through the process of your job search but motivates you and removes the stress from the equation. While you work with the best job search coach, you should also be prepared to follow their advice and instructions, which will help you apply to the right job, ace the interview, and get hired.
Robert Moment is a Job Search Coach and Strategist, The Get Hired Expert and Author. Robert specializes in helping ambitious professionals find jobs, stand out in interviews and get hired making more money. Over 97% of my clients get job offers during their first , second or third interview with a company. Robert is the author of How to Ace an Interview, Starting a New Job, Always Believe in Yourself and several other books.
Visit www.HowtoAceanInterview.com to learn job search strategies and interview skills to find jobs and get hired. Connect with Robert on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jobsearchstrategistrobertmoment