Whether you've been laid off or decided to make a career change, statistics say it's becoming harder and harder to find a job in this market.
According to the WSJ,
"Unemployed Americans across the U.S. are spending more time out of work as employers slow down hiring from a red-hot pace earlier in the pandemic. In December, 826,000 unemployed workers had been out of a job for about 3½ to 6 months, up from 526,000 in April 2022, according to the Labor Department.
Earlier this month, the number of people seeking ongoing unemployment benefits, known as continuing claims, was 26% above half-century lows reached last spring."
With some job postings getting upwards of 2,000 applicants, it's important to make sure you stand out.
Here are some tips we give out to individuals when they approach us asking for help.
Brand yourself
Make yourself as visible as possible.
LinkedIn is not just for recruiters to find you. It is a way to highlight your personal brand. It is a way to be contacted to write articles, speak, be invited to events, and showcase your ideas, and of course, it helps to be contacted about excellent roles.
It also helps you be visible if something changes quickly, like a layoff. Too many times, I have heard people say they wish they would have been more visible or stayed in touch with their network.
Don't undersell yourself
When speaking to others about themselves, I uncover they aren't showcasing the amazing accomplishments they've made. It's very much a human thing to downplay our assets. As humans, we are our own biggest hypocrites.
Take a second and look at yourself from an outsider's perspective. You'd be surprised what you might uncover about yourself. Also, consider what part you played in role. If you weren’t there would everything have worked the way it did?
Then put it on your resume!
Show how applicable you are to a job
If you are submitting the same resume to every job application you fill out, you aren't letting yourself shine like the shining star you are. You will get muddled down with the others.
Remember every job is different and requires different things from an individual.
Yes, your title and specifications may fit the requirements, but if you are not painting a story of how your skills fit the requirements of the job you are applying for, you are once again underselling yourself. Change line items on your resume to cater to what the job application is asking for and show the actions you took to do just what they need.
You can also accomplish the same thing in cover letters. Tell the company your story about how you’ve done it for past organizations and how you can make their life easier with your skills and accomplishments.
Listen to All Recruiters That Call
It is important to network with recruiters, even if they don’t have the exact role you are looking for. If they know what you are looking for they can reach out to you when they have a role that you consider THE role for you career.