Finding employment can feel like an uphill battle, even when you have all of your documents in order and you’re wearing your best dress shoes. It takes time, effort and sometimes repeat applications to find the right job for you.
However, there's a silver-lining to this. There are several ways you can find jobs that fit with your preferences and skills. We'll tell you about those ways in this article.
Create a list of jobs you are qualified for
Finding employment is not easy, even when you have a great resume that matches many job listings. It’s hard to know if your qualifications match what employers are looking for, so it is important to recognize where you can make concessions and where you need to stand strong.
By being honest with yourself about your weaknesses, you will begin to find solutions to get past those challenges!
Concerning your education, people usually place more importance on having a college degree than anything else. A lot of employers look negatively on candidates without at least a bachelor’s degree, which may be why they don’t feel confident in offering one pay raises or giving them more responsibilities.
If you do not have a formal education beyond high school, do not worry! You do not need to necessarily go straight into advanced positions because finding entry level work can be very helpful in getting into the workforce too. People often start their career with lower paying positions, but by moving up the ladder, they earn more money later on.
Make another list of jobs you are interested in
After your career check out, it is time to make your second list. This second list will be for job opportunities that you are looking into or that fit your skills.
You can create this list by thinking about all of the things that you want to do and what positions you would like to find yourself in. By having these two lists, you will know if there are any connections between those dreams and careers!
By creating both of these lists, you will also recognize whether or not these careers are truly something you wanted to do.
Identify some potential job openings using LinkedIn or other networking sites
It is not enough these days to have an impressive career language, strong experience, and a flashy portfolio. You need to be able to articulate what you know and can do in terms of skills and behaviors, and then find ways to showcase those strengths to recruiters and employers.
That’s why it is so important to connect with people and learn about their businesses. By interacting with others, you will gain knowledge that can help you achieve your goals.
By actively engaging in social activities and promoting yourself on social media platforms, you will increase your visibility and chances of finding employment.
You should never give up trying to make changes for the better in your life. Even if you are currently employed, you can always look into how others handled a similar situation and apply such strategies to improve your workplace performance.
Contact the companies on your lists, introduce yourself, and see if they would like to know more about you
As we've already said, finding employment that matches your resume is not easy, but it is possible! The best way to do this is by interacting with employers directly.
Most large corporations have at least one employee or member of their team who can help you find work. This may be in the form of a manager looking for someone to fill a position, or it could be through a coordinator or recruiter who works with employees to recruit new hires.
By reaching out to these professionals, you increase your chances of being helped. It also helps them promote their organization and brand.
There are several ways to approach your search. You can use LinkedIn to look up business contacts or hire a professional service to do it for you. There are many websites with job listings as well as apps designed to make the process easier.
Visit career fairs or use online job portals to find positions that match your qualifications
With over 7 billion active users now being part of the connected workplace community, there is an incredible amount of information available to anyone with a smartphone.
This has made it easy to search for jobs anywhere at any time, which can be both a blessing and a curse. It gives you access to all sorts of resources but may not help you identify whether the company will be a good fit or not.
By having access to lots of different opportunities, however, you can pick and choose what suits you best.
Ask friends and family members for their recommendations
Finding employment is not just about having the best resume, it’s also about knowing what to look for when an opportunity arises.
By sharing connections or referrals you can find out who people trust and are familiar with. By asking these individuals if they know of any job opportunities, they may be willing to tell you!
By being aware of all of the different types of jobs in your area, you will have more options than trying to limit yourself to only those that match your current career path.
It is very common to feel overwhelmed after receiving many interview requests, so doing some research on possible employers ahead of time will help you focus on the ones that are worth your time. You want to make sure you don’t waste anyone else’s time by requesting an invitation that has no chance of leading to an offer.
In addition to looking through employer websites, you can also visit other sites like The Bureau of Labor Statistics to get general information about positions and companies.
Try networking events or social gatherings
Many employers look at past job experiences as a way to determine if they’re hiring for position openings. If you are looking to change positions, your resume must reflect that.
So how can you find more employment opportunities that match your qualifications?
Try attending social gatherings such as meet-ups, parties, or holiday get-togethers. Or better yet, start hosting your own!
By meeting people in person, it creates opportunity for introductions and conversations about careers. And since most professionals have their resumes, this is an easy place to begin.
Ask if anyone knows of any job opportunities and see what kind of responses you receive. You may also ask if there are any upcoming events that could help you gain career knowledge or connect with potential employers.
Join professional organizations
Joining an organization is a great way to connect with people who share your passion or at least are very enthusiastic about their area of expertise.
By joining such groups, you become part of the community and contribute to meet other members’ needs by sharing knowledge and resources or just being supportive and encouraging.
These communities usually have meetings where everyone can attend and talk about things related to the group’s mission. Sometimes they hold events like seminars or training sessions as well.
By attending these events, you can learn something new and hopefully make connections that will help you in future career endeavors.
