New year, new start. When it comes to your job search, there’s a lot you can learn from 2012 to help you bring in the New Year!
1) Learn from 2012 mistakes - If 2012 didn’t go so great, take a moment to think about what went wrong. Did you have a lot of interviews but no offers? Brush up on your interview skills. Did you not hear back on many of the applications you sent in? Take another look (or two…or three) to see why your applications weren’t successful.
2) Become a master spell-checker - The number one mistake job seekers make is having spelling typos in applications! While this may seem small, hiring managers have told us that this can get your application rejected because it makes you look a little sloppy. Not sure exactly how to make sure your application is error free? Check out this video with three tips to make sure your app is in top shape.
3) Get your family and friends involved - Try making your job search a team effort. Tell your family and friends that you are searching for a job. A strong support system is important – they will cheer you on in victory and help pick you up when you are down. Your support team can also keep an eye out for any opportunities they come across.
4) Volunteer - Volunteering is ideal for the job seeker who is looking to gain experience and/or looking to help fill in employment gaps on their resume. Not only will you be helping society, you also will be helping yourself in the process. Trust us, it works!
5) Map out how you want your year to go - Goals can be very powerful. Mapping out your priorities is a way to make sure you do what you need to in order to get that job you’ve been searching for. Simple goals, like applying to five jobs online and five jobs in person per week, will not only help get you to your ultimate goal, but it will also give you a sense of accomplishment and a purpose for the week.
6) Follow up on all applications - You may be tired of us saying this, but following up is so important to your job search! Hiring managers tell us that this is a great way to stand out and get noticed. We hear from hired members all the time who tell us they got hired because they followed up. If you do it right, it can take you far. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what to do, we have a video where we break it all down for you.
7) Organize your search - With all these goals, things can start to get a little messy. By doing something like keeping a notebook of all the jobs you’ve applied to and the steps you’ve taken to follow up, you will have one place with all of your job search information, contacts and a way to not forget who you have and haven’t talked to. After applying to jobs for awhile, positions and companies may start to run together and you want to make sure you do everything you can to give yourself an advantage in your search.
8) Make finding a job your job - If you are searching for a job and you don’t currently have one, try turning your search into your job. Have periods of time mapped out where you search for jobs online, in person and to follow up on all your apps. This routine will help you stick to your goals and will also hold you accountable for completing everything you wanted to get done that day.
9) Practice - When you do land that interview, you want to be prepared. Find a friend or family member that you know will give you honest feedback and practice how you would answer common interview questions. The last thing you want to do in an interview is to be caught off guard and not have an appropriate answer. Before you start to stress about this too much, take a look at all our videos and blog posts going over the most common questions.
10) Master interview thank yous - After you’ve nailed the interview because of all the practice you did, you need to make sure you follow up to thank them for taking the time to interview you. This is another great way to stand out and get noticed. The interviewer will see just how much you want this job and how loyal of an employee you will make.
11) Reach out to a job search coach - Job searching isn’t always easy, we know this. At Snagajob, we have job search coaches on hand to help you through the process. We are here to help you and have advice straight from recruiters that can make your search a little less stressful. Check out all the ways to contact us here.
12) Become familiar with our blog - We have hundreds of articles covering everything from resume tips to interview outfits to even cheap date nights! Is there an article you would like to see? Let us know and we will work on it for you!
13) Check out our improvements - We’ve recently upgraded our search tool and our mobile experience to help give you the easiest job search possible. Try using our keyword search tool to look for jobs in your area that interest you.
Try to make 2014 your best year yet by taking these steps to make sure you get there. Do your best to stand out and make sure you use us as a resource. We are here to help!
About Kim Costa
Use tip #2 to correct an error in tip #1 “Bush up on your interview skills…”
otherwise good suggestions
Nice catch! Sometimes it doesn’t matter how many times you read something….
yea i just wanted to say that all of 2012 i followed these steps and even learned other steps also lets don’t forget the 65 apps i filled out and ended up still no job i need to know one thing could my work history have anything to do with it
I too have been searching for well over a year now. My unemployment just expired and I have a wife and three small children to take care of.
I have filled out over 100 apps, some for multiple job posts with the same company. I all this time I have had four calls for interviews. Two of those resulted in a second interview. One of the second interviews resulted in a letter from the company thanking me for my time but because I have poor credit, yes they did a credit check, they declined to hire me. For a part time, seasonal, temporary job no less…
The other second interview was with the store manager who told me that the first job I interviewed for went to someone else. He stated that he would consider me for another position that was open. I felt pretty good about the interview, however two months later and still nothing.
I am really worried about the next few weeks because I don’t know how I will pay bills or rent, let alone gas for getting to the next interview. This economy really sucks.
I notice a lot of folks saying about how they don’t know how to follow up when the company doesn’t give a number. That one is fairly easy. GOOGLE IT. lol
This job hunt feels extremely hopeless. I feel PATHETIC. I’m going to be 22 this year, and I’ve NEVER had a job. In my case, lack of work experience isn’t my only problem, and I’m completely aware of that. Another problem is my availability. I’m seeking part time since I am a full time college student{specifically seeking job with shifts 4pm-midnight but no overnight shifts and not available Mondays and Wednesdays}. Due to family matters; I have to take care of my autistic sister and my 2 nephews every morning{my nephew’s father works 12 hour graveyard shift}, and both of my parent’s work. My family wants to move out of state, and I don’t want to move with them. I need MAJOR HELP, and feel like I have nowhere to go. How can anyone help me?
Hi Jennifer – Here is an article that might help you in your job search. Also keep in mind that holiday hiring is right around the corner – this might help open up more shift options for you! http://www.snagajob.com/resources/no-experience-jobs
I got fired at my first job for quick change. Do you put it in my application. What do I do and what do I say if I have an interview? Do I tell the manager I got fired at a job?
Hi! I got fired at my first job. Do I put it In my application? What do I do?
Foe what it is indeed worth here is my two cents! I’m 52 I’ve applied to several job positions over the course of a year and I have heard next to nothing! I fell on hard times due to the position I currently have where time is less than 15 hours a week where it was once 39 hours a week. I have searched diligently and I have had two postal inverviews both of which I was not selected for. My main concern during all of this job huntings is knowing my rights. I feel I have the right to know why I was not hired for any position I have been interviewed for yet I get no answer to this question and now I WANT TO KNOW WHY? DO I NOT HAVE THAT RIGHT? I find it only fair that since they are looking at me through a micrscope that I have the honor of knowing why I received yet another letter of rejection. Is there anyone out there with some solid advise on this? I would greatly appreciate it! Sincerest of thanks.
Wow, even though this article is intended for 2013, still it can be used today. Very good post. This can be a good reference for job seekers out there.