With 2021 coming to an end, it is time to position yourself to secure your dream job in 2018. Research says that 89% of the workforce is open to hearing about new opportunities. Here are 5 tips to position yourself to make a job change in 2018.
Know what you are looking for. This is important so you don’t waste your time or a potential employer/recruiter’s time. Create a checklist of must-haves and non-negotiables so you can be laser focused during your job search. This is extremely important if you are currently employed, fairly happy in your current position, but know there is something better for you out there. The last thing you want to do is leave a good job for something that doesn’t check all the boxes. As a passive candidate you are in the driver’s seat, but you MUST know what you want.
Make your LinkedIn profile stand out! In today’s digital world your LinkedIn profile should read like your resume and have juice. What is juice? Juice are your accomplishments, major projects you have worked on, awards, how you saved your company time and/or money, etc. You may be surprised how many HR professionals and executive recruiters use LinkedIn to evaluate candidates. The more you can showcase your accomplishments on your Linkedin profile, the better your chances of getting a phone call or LinkedIn message from a perspective employer/recruiter.
Have your resume professionally written. I know, I know, you are saying why would I do that, I know how to write a resume. Yeah, you might know how to write a resume, but trust me, it probably sucks. Hell, that’s why I had my resume professionally written. I look at resumes every day and the resume I write for myself….SUCKED! In today’s hyper-competitive job market, you want your resume to POP. My go-to resume writing service is Kent Lee at Perfect Resumes (https://www.perfectresumeusa.com/). I used Kent to write my resume and have recommended several people to use his service as well. The result; in every case interviews increased by at least 3x.
Find 2-3 recruiters that specialize in your niche and send them a message on LinkedIn. Tell them you are considering a job change and would like some help finding your dream job. Trust me, if you are an A or B player who does not have a resume plastered all over the job boards, GOOD recruiters will be all over you. Working with a recruiter puts you in front of hiring managers without going through the painstaking process of submitting resumes online that NEVER get looked at.
Be ready to interview. Be flexible with your schedule. Have blocks of time available at lunch and after hours for phone interviews. Make sure you have vacation time available in case your dream job includes an all-day panel interview or requires you to fly out of state.
