Basic Job Search Tips So Basic You May Overlook Them

If you’re looking for a job, you won’t have to go far before you receive pieces of advice on how to go about your job search. Just about every one of your employed acquaintances will have some bit of wisdom to impart about the process. Go online and do a Google search, and you’ll get a lot more.

With so many tips coming at you, it’s easy enough to be overwhelmed and you may end up forgetting some of the most basic tips of all. So before you initiate some of the more creative job search tips, here are the most basic steps that you mustn’t overlook:

Use LinkedIn

No other social media tool will be as helpful for your job search as LinkedIn, so make sure you have a memorable presence on that platform. More than 9 out of 10 recruiters use LinkedIn as their main search tool, and it’s your best tool for job search networking.

Line Up Your Resume with the Requirements of the Position

When you apply online, it’s very likely that your resume will have to pass through several filtering layers before you get your interview. One of these layers will be an automated applicant tracking system looking for the right keywords and phrases in your resume. Another is some low-level HR worker doing basically the same thing.

Your job is to make sure that they find those important keywords in your resume. This means you most likely should just mirror the same words and phrases used in the job description. You have to highlight the areas in your resume that matches the requirements for the job. You have to make it easy for these filtering layers to identify you as a viable candidate for the position.

Modify Your LinkedIn Profile Too

Just as you customize your resume to match the particular position you’re applying for, you need to do the same thing to your LinkedIn profile. After all, that’s the platform the recruiters are using. Here are 5 tips to get you started.

Go Beyond Online Applications

The goal of the job applicant is to stand out (in a good way) so that you can at least score an interview. To gain that necessary edge over other applicants, you should make sure that you also try to make yourself know to some workers in the company you’re applying to. They may be able to vouch for you so that you can get an interview.

Stop with the Clichés

Once you get the interview, you may be tempted to give safe but boring answers to the questions that you get. The problem here is that you’re giving the same answers as the other applicants. Instead, you need to stand out by offering more memorable responses instead.

Be Thankful

After the interview, take the time to send a gracious “thank you” note to each of your interviewers. Make sure each note is different. This can be another way to make yourself look good and unique compared to other applicants.

All these tips may be obvious, but that makes them easier to forget. So don’t neglect to do each of these steps in your job search!

LA STARTUPS

Website | + posts

LAStartups.com is a digital lifestyle publication that covers the culture of startups and technology companies in Los Angeles. It is the go-to site for people who want to keep up with what matters in Los Angeles’ tech and startups from those who know the city best.