JobHuntingTips - Over 30 Hacks to Land Your Dream Job ASAP

You’ve polished your resume to perfection. Searched job boards until your eyes crossed. Networked ‘til you’re blue in the face. But that dream job is still out of reach.

Don’t panic - even rockstar candidates strike out more times than they score. Landing an amazing gig requires next-level job hunting skills. We’re spilling industry insider secrets to transform you into a hiring magnet.

But before we get into the details, if you have not done so already, please click the like button below and also don't forget to squeeze the subscribe button. It will only take two seconds, but it will help the Algorithm so that you don't miss out on our content. It will also encourage us to create more content and we truly appreciate your support.

Craft a Personal Brand That Attracts Recruiters

Recruiters spend just 7 seconds scanning your resume. Make those precious moments count by showcasing your X-factor.

?? Lead with a professional summary packed with keywords from the job description so applicant tracking systems instantly flag you as a viable candidate.

?? Spotlight niche skills that set you apart from the applicant herd - foreign language fluency, coding wizardry, social media sorcery. These unique talents prove you’ll energize the role in innovative ways.

?? Weave in volunteer work, passion projects and other dimensions beyond cookie cutter career history to reveal there’s more to you than meets the job req.

Become a Networking Ninja

Think networking events full of small talk are a snoozefest? It’s time to shift that mindset. These in-person interactions are pivotal for landing referrals and inside intel you’d never discover scanning job boards.

?? Before attending any event, set a goal - are you focused on meeting 5 new people? Gathering 3 referrals? Obtaining 2 informational interviews? Defining your aims keeps you targeted.

?? Have an intro script ready to break the ice that succinctly conveys who you are, your experience and ideal next role. This hook kickstarts meaningful conversations.

?? Collect business cards and take notes on each interaction right after so you remember who you talked to and any suggestions they offered. Prioritize following up within 24 hours.

?? Introverts - try virtual networking first on LinkedIn. Comments and shares boost visibility so relevant contacts start seeking you out.

Optimize Your Online Presence

Think of yourself as a brand when digitizing your professional identity. Every tweet, share and pic shapes how hiring decision makers perceive you.

?? Google yourself and delete questionable social content. Hide old posts if deletion isn’t possible. You want recruiters peeking behind the curtain to be impressed, not appalled.

?? Create a polished LinkedIn presence with a professional headshot, branded background image and succinct, keyword-packed profile. Set alerts to apply to newly listed jobs first.

?? Grow your network by engaging thoughtfully on industry forums and connecting with leaders you admire. Position yourself as an expert.

?? Start cultivating your online persona months (or years) before you plan to job hunt. You’ll stand out from applicants with bare bones profiles.

Take a Targeted Approach

Rather than blast the same generic resume to 100 random companies, research organizations that are a culture/values fit and tailor your application to what makes each employer unique.

?? Study their website, social feeds, press coverage and Glassdoor reviews to get insight on workplace environment and challenges they’re hoping you can help solve.

?? Custom craft a resume for each application that calls out how your credentials directly address their business goals using words from the job listing itself to get past bots.

?? Address the hiring manager directly in your cover letters with a personable tone and provide real-life examples of how you’ll make meaningful contributions if hired.

Showcase Soft Skills

While technical capabilities may land you the interview, it’s universally appealing soft skills that clinch the offer. So sharpen these sought-after strengths.

?? Empathy - Listen deeply and relate to people from diverse walks of life. Candidates who forge genuine connections enjoy decided advantage.

?? Creativity - Offer innovative approaches instead of recycled ideas. Bring fresh perspective to intractable problems.

?? Curiosity - Ask smart questions. Dig deeper. Remain open to learning. Positivity - Radiate upbeat can-do energy even when tasks get tough.

?? Storytelling - Compellingly communicate complex concepts through vivid narratives that inspire and educate.

Schedule Informational Interviews

Want insider access to career opportunities, leadership scoop and industry advice? Set up informational interviews. These low-pressure meetings help both parties.

?? Don’t ask directly for a job. The objective is seeking guidance, not putting respected pros in an awkward spot.

?? Prepare 8-10 intriguing questions that demonstrate awareness of company/role complexities and respect the expert’s time.

?? Follow up expressing gratitude for their generosity and include any additional inquiries that popped up. Offer to return the favor for folks they mentor.

?? Add respected new contacts on LinkedIn to stay tapped into their world. If they later have openings or know someone who does, you’ll be top of mind.

Level Up With Micro-Learning

Staying on top of the latest software programs and industry advances is key for securing that six-figure technical post.

?? Short YouTube tutorials allow busy pros to pick up niche skills fast. Curate a playlist for each target technology so you accumulate expertise bite by bite.

?? Alternate intense technical learning bursts with touchy-feely stuff - try BetterUp’s 5-minute mindfulness sessions. This balances left and right brain activity for improved focus and retention.

?? List new micro-capabilities on your resume under a section like “Ongoing Professional Development.” Flaunting an autodidactic attitude makes you more marketable.

Network Like a Human

Resist the instinct to be an overly buttoned-up professional at hiring events - showing genuine personality makes you memorable.

?? Look for glimpses of humor and humanity that allow authentic connections, even in high stakes environments - ‘I love your tattoo’, ‘Go Blue Devils!’

?? Before asking probing industry questions, build rapport with a personal comment or compliment so dialogue flows organically, not stiffly transactional.

?? Share a brief anecdote highlighting a strength if the conversation lulls. A well-placed failure-to-triumph tale reveals resilience and builds trust.

Prep to Beat the Bots

You know those online application forms that won’t let you progress until every last box displays green? Meet the bots blocking 75% of candidates from ever reaching human eyes.

?? Thwart automated gatekeepers by studying job descriptions then loading your materials with identical keywords. Mirror that terminology.

?? Learn exactly which sections algorithms scan - Heavy on skills, awards, academics and numeric accomplishments. Light on lengthy paragraphs.

?? Ask tech-savvy friends to preview your resume in Textio to catch extra words/phrases to work in for optimal bot appeal.

Know Your Worth

Undervaluing contributions by low-balling salary range is common for those new to the workforce or nervous in interviews. But undershooting payscale hopes costs you instant leverage.

?? Research typical compensation for desired positions using Payscale, Glassdoor, LinkedIn and other reputable sites with crowdsourced data.

?? Benchmark skillset against industry averages then tack on bonuses for in-demand technical abilities, leadership experience or niche workout knowledge.

?? Practice articulating your worth and citing apples-to-apples data until stating sizable sums feels natural. Remember - the company set that budget range anticipating they’d negotiate down eager applicants. Fiendishly clever, eh?

Design Your Dream Job

Fantasize about your ultimate role then manifest that vision rather than set for lackluster leftovers. Today’s boundary-pushing business titans want you to tell them what you want to create.

?? Forget classifieds - the coolest gigs aren’t listed on job boards but imaginatively innovated by intrepid inventors pitching purposeful proposals directly to founders and funders.

?? Do you yearn to launch an LGBTQIA diversity vertical inside People Magazine? See a need for a nomadic nutritionist collective educating elementary students? Stop waiting for thosewoke jobs to materialize - design them yourself then make it happen.

?? Highlight why the world desperately needs this initiative, how you’ll numberize nebulous nonprofit goals and what success looks like in 12-months if supported.

Boost Your Likeability Factor

It’s true - insanely qualified candidates get passed over due to ‘culture fit’ aka how pleasurable will this person be to work alongside at 3am before a killer deadline? Hint: likeability = promotability.

?? Cultivate self-awareness - how do you behave under big workloads? Are you snippy with baristas the day after an all-nighter? Do you micromanage interns when stressed? Better know your drift.

?? Become an emotion scientist - observe and catalogue responses so you consciously self-regulate in future similar situations. I recognize I get curt when tired - I’ll nap before tomorrow’s team presentation so I stay thoughtful in feedback.

?? Practice empathy daily - validate others’ perspectives before gently voicing dissent. Peacemaking neutralizes tension so teams unite against external issues.

Hack Second Interviews

You aced meeting one with the recruiters but round two means proving yourself to the executives and decision makers determining budget. Upping success odds requires decoding their underlying objectives.

?? They care less about obligatory culture questions than if you grasp long-term strategic vision. So intently listen then tie responses back to growth goals.

?? Discover pain points plaguing the department and organically recommend plausible innovations you spearheaded to vanquish similar vexations.

?? Watch body language closely - if optimism emerges when discussing global partnerships propose adding that to your role. Their visceral reactions guide you.

Prize Soft Skills Over Degrees

Spending 4+ years and a gazillion dollars obtaining advanced diplomas no longer guarantees lucrative offers like decades past when fewer applicants held degrees. Now it’s baseline.

?? Many six-figure coding jobs crave candidates evidencing grit, integrity, accountability for prior results and superior written/verbal comms - stuff no college class confers.

?? Play up progam partnerships demonstrating well-roundedness. Highlight sophomore summer abroad scaling sanitation startups in Kenya. Transfer diverse life experiences into coveted business aptitudes.

?? Continually self-educate via YouTube tutorials on emerging programs. Companies seek staff combining cutting-edge technological abilities with equally sharp emotional IQs.

Always Add Value

Approach each interaction asking “How can I be useful?” then intently listen for opportunities to lend a hand. This geniune generosity seeds bountiful business karma.

?? Introduce recent contacts to long-term players in your network when synergies exist. These thoughtfully facilitated collisions breed game-changing innovations.

?? Before messaging new connections, identify what tangible value you offer plus how they can pay it forward. This mentality nurtures collaborations that transform industries while transforming lives.

Summary

Luck plays minor role in landing phenomenal gigs. But methodically incorporating these avant-garde job hunting hacks positions you to grab grand opportunities in today’s ultra-competitive climate. Soon you’ll be the one doling out resume writing advice!