6 Tips To Modernize Your Job Search

If you plan to launch a job search, there are six crucial things you need to know and do in order to land that new job sooner rather than later. Don't waste time using outdated job search tactics. Here's what you need to know.

Sell the Right Skills

Do you know what skills employers are really looking for? The 2014 Job Preparedness Indicator survey by the Career Advisory Board and DeVry found that there is a communication gap between companies and job seekers.

Image credit: Career Advisory Board 2014 Executive Summary

Only 7% of hiring managers believe nearly “all” or “most” job seekers have the skills and traits their companies are seeking in candidates. Overall, there is a mismatch in the priority skills demanded by hiring managers and the skills entry-level and mid-level job seekers are showcasing in their search for employment.

• Entry-level candidates should improve how they demonstrate written communication skills and adaptability.
• Mid-level candidates also need to highlight written communication skills.

Spend More Time Reviewing Job Postings

Job seekers self-reported spending about ten minutes reviewing job postings, however, TheLadders study found that most job seekers spend less than a minute looking at the job description.

Image credit: TheLadders

Overall, job seekers spend less time reading job postings than they think. When asked “How long would you say you typically spend looking at a job posting before deciding if it is a good fit for you?” participants responded:
Less than 1 minute 37%
1-5 minutes 44%
5-10 minutes 19%

This contrasts with the amount of time eye-tracking technology showed participants spent reading job postings: a range of 49.2 – 76.7 seconds.

Take time to review the qualifications and other important information at the bottom of the job posting! And always follow the instructions!

Find Company Insiders

Referrals are the number one source of external hiring according to CareerXroad’s 2014 Sources of Hire study. And more companies are turning to their employees for help filling positions. Instead of just submitting your application or resume and waiting, put out an alert with everyone you know letting them know you have applied for a job at XYZ company and ask for their help connecting to someone inside. This is hard work, but, it is better than feeling like you are being ignored when you resume falls into the black hole. Also note the increase in direct source hires. This means that recruiters/sourcers searched for specific candidates and reached out to them.

Image credit: CareerXroads Source of Hire, 2014

Leverage LinkedIn

Recruiters are searching for just the right talent. LinkedIn is a powerful tool for recruiters! 73% have actually hired candidates they've found on social media. 79% were found on LinkedIn according to Jobvite’s 2014 Social Recruiting survey. But, it isn’t enough just to upload your work history and hope someone calls. Instead of obsessing over your resume, spend more time mastering the functionality of LinkedIn.

• Connect with past colleagues
• Share informative articles and information as status updates
• Join industry groups (and participate in discussions)
• Follow companies
• Add media (documents, images, video, etc.) to enrich your profile

Image credit: Jobvite Social Recruiting study 2014

Be Pro-Active

Instead of waiting for the perfect job to become posted, go find it. Some companies don’t publically post all their jobs. If you are only looking at job boards, you may not see all the opportunities available. You’ll have to have inside connections in order to hear about some of these jobs.

Proactively identify companies who are likely to have the type of role you are looking for. Add them to your target list and begin purposely networking with people who work at these companies. More hard work, but that’s what it takes. Read more on how to identify target companies here.

Rehearse for Your Interview

You only have one shot at making a great impression, so you’ll need to do everything possible to prepare. Approach your interview as if it were a presentation or performance. Learn about the company, its customers, plans for future growth and the people you will be interviewing with. Instead of feeling like the interview is an interrogation, treat it as if you were a consultant meeting with a new client.

Practice answering behavior-based interview questions out loud and be prepared to answer the questions about salary, why you left your last job and why you want to work for that company.

Have some questions ready to ask during the interview (don't wait until the end). These 30 questions should help.

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Hannah Morgan dishes out job search advice for today's job seeker. Learn about how to use visual and infographic resumes to showcase your talent. Get "The Infographic Resume" (McGraw-Hill).