How to Create a Winning Job Search Strategy

By Todd Dybas of LinkedIn News

Many people believe job searches are number games, but it's really all about strategy. A targeted job search, focused on a handful of companies and role titles, is a more effective path than sending hundreds of resumes on a whim. It saves time and energy while increasing your likelihood of landing your next role.

Identify Target Roles and Companies

The first step in developing a winning job search strategy is identifying the roles and companies you want to target. A quick way to find quality employers is to use LinkedIn's annual Top Companies list.

The list highlights the 50 best large workplaces to grow your career in the U.S. Fueled by unique LinkedIn data, the methodology analyzes various facets of career progression like promotion rates, skill development and more among employees at each company. You'll also find actionable insights on the roles, skills and functions in demand at each company. You can also search the platform for specific job titles.

Prepare Your Resume

To grab the attention of companies on your list, craft a resume focused on the solutions you can provide their organization.?

“Sell the impact that you can provide to that employer,” career coach Nii Ato Bentsi-Enchill said. “[They need to] see the merits of you coming on board to [help] them reach their goals. Every single bullet point [on your resume should read] like a headline that is yelling or screaming out the impact you had on the company, your clients, colleagues, and/or senior management.”

It’s essential to list qualitative outcomes, too, Bentsi-Enchill said. Point out the nature of your impact at each company and why that impact mattered. Also, give context for your achievements.

“For example, did this metric you achieved beat the company average or did it beat the industry average?” Bentsi-Enchill said. “Or, was this the first time in the company's history that this particular thing had been achieved?”

View job descriptions as wishlists employers want to find within candidates, Bentsi-Enchill said. Then, use keywords from job descriptions to highlight your skills, experience, and accomplishments.

Think of your resume as a sales document that features your accomplishments rather than tailoring it to highlight job-specific tasks and responsibilities.

In the end, all of your materials should work together to tell a cohesive story.

Network to Find Work

Research your existing professional connections to find possible networking opportunities related to your target roles or target companies.?

Get started with a networking email. Networking emails are professional opportunities to create a stronger connection with a new or existing relationship. They are excellent for following up with someone you met at a professional conference or connecting with a stranger you know of through online networks.

Rather than pitching a product or trying to complete a sale, the purpose of a networking email is to sell oneself.

These emails aim to create a genuine connection with another person and provide mutually beneficial interaction.

Consider these ideas when you begin to network:

• What do you want to do? Who do you know that is closest to getting you there?
• Don't view networking conversations — or networking in general — as transactional. For example, don't go into a conversation expecting a job offer.
• Networking is not a one-and-done activity. You need to have regular touchpoints with your connections.

Upskill to Boost Your Qualifications

Knowing your targeted role and companies will help you determine which skills you may need to gain. This is called upskilling, which puts you on a path to a better or new job.?

Upskilling includes taking a class to learn a new language, enrolling in an online course to gain certification, or volunteering to practice a different activity. It's all about gaining new experience relevant to the role you want.

Career coach and employer branding expert Sarena Tseng told LinkedIn News upskilling is valuable “because the market is always changing and companies are always asking for new types of skills.”

“It's really important to stay on top of it,” Tseng said. “It’s helpful to not only be a specialist in your field, but also a generalist and know other types of skills that are parallel to the job description or the job duties that you have now. That way, you can think more strategically about how your work might affect other departments in the company.”

Use a Routine and Schedule

Determining ways to navigate the ups and downs of hunting for a new job is part of any successful job search strategy. LinkedIn experts agree that setting realistic goals and maintaining a routine protect your mental health during a job search.

While the end goal is clear: get a new job, setting other goals along the way will help you progress, and stay positive during the journey.?

Self-care is crucial. Set boundaries between your job search and personal life. Additionally, focus on what you can control and manage expectations.

Tracking your progress

Tracking brings all the pieces of your job search together. Experts on LinkedIn recommend reviewing each step as you go . That helps determine what you may need to change.

Track details like the application date and the URL of the original job posting. Add notes after applying for roles, plus add updates with the results of each step in the journey. Summarize meetings with recruiters, including details of how the interaction went, what's next and what you need to focus on.?

Create weekly targets, like a number of applications to send to your target companies or for target roles. Also, note how many networking events you want to hit each week.

Don't forget to celebrate small wins through the process to help endure the grind. Hit your goals for the week? Made new connections? Add those to your tracker and crack a smile.

(This article has been adapted by Todd Dybas from existing reporting appearing on Get Hired by LinkedIn News and Get Hired by Andrew Seaman .)