Strategy for a Challenging Market

I want to start with a message of hope.

If you are one of the many currently finding this job market challenging, my message is not to despair; I have several tips, ideas, and strategies I will pass along.

I hope you find ideas in this article that help you land that next position.

If you're hitting a brick wall in your search, I hope you will gain encouragement through these strategies.

This is the plan that I would follow if I were in your shoes today:

Plan & Track Everything

Finding a job IS your new job. Treat it as such.

Keep track of all your interactions, job applications, phone numbers, emails and names. Keep good notes on each interaction.

When you keep track of everything in a spreadsheet, document, or notepad, you centralize all your actions. When your work is tracked, you can look back and follow up diligently, as you have recorded and dated all your activities. This will keep you organized and lessen your chances of becoming overwhelmed, confused, or anxious.

Such a clearheaded and organized approach will also show itself in your overall demeanour, improving your chances.

Your Resume

Now that you're ready to begin, you must build a great resume and matching LinkedIn profile.

There are several great AI resume builders out there, such as Rezi , Resumaker , Teal , Kickresume , Resume.co , Zety , Resumai .

One point of caution is always to ensure that any AI suggestions are factual, can be corroborated by clear examples, and can be verified in a reference check.

Honesty and integrity are paramount. No misinformation.

Your LinkedIn Profile

There are many things you can do to strengthen your LinkedIn profile. Here is a great article from LinkedIn that I highly recommend. Modifying your profile (adding skills and experience) will also have the algorithms on the back end signal recruiters that you are actively looking for a change.

Some of the suggestions are to have a great headshot or background picture. However, some of the suggestions will require extra effort on your part, such as growing your network and obtaining recommendations (especially from your previous superiors). If you are wondering how to ask for a recommendation, this article from the Muse comes jam-packed with ideas and templates.

On LinkedIn, you can signal to recruiters that you are looking for work.

Here are the steps to do this.

This will bring your profile to the top of a recruiter's search on the back end of the Recruiter platform. Coupled with the correct use of keywords and skills, this should improve your chances of getting noticed by the right talent scouts.

Add as many factual keywords as possible to your LinkedIn profile. They could be the difference between appearing in a recruiter search or not.

Traditional Job Boards

Traditional job boards are an excellent way to find out who is hiring.

You should apply to each job carefully and tailor your cover letter and resume to each position.

Don't get discouraged by the high applicant count when applying. Do your best to stand out with a high-quality application.

Set alerts to be first in line when a similar role is posted. You can stand out by being one of the first candidates to apply.

While LinkedIn is the dominant force in recruitment, it is not your only potential source. When searching for a job, you must do your best to cover all your bases, as you never know what board might be the one to land you the correct opportunity.

Indeed , Workopolis , Monster , Eluta , and CareerBuilder are good sources for job leads. Some have a back-end database that recruitment professionals can use to search for candidates like you. When alerts are set up, they conveniently message you daily leads for similar positions.

Here is a list of the top job boards in Canada . Join them and improve your chances of landing the right opportunity.

AI Application Tools

Some new innovations coming online are ones that I have yet to explore; however, aiApply and Jobscan stand out.

Sonara and LoopCV are other platforms that I have heard about as well.

AI Interview Preparation

In today's digital age, you have access to tools that were not previously available.

You can ask your digital companion to craft a list of interview questions based on the job you are interviewing for.

Here is a prompt you can enter on any AI platform:

I am currently interviewing for a (job title) position at (company name). Please list some challenging interview questions I could be asked and help me answer them best. Here is the job description for this opening: (paste JD)

This prompt is invaluable in identifying key questions specific to each job and target market.

You can try this out on Microsoft Copilot , Perplexity , ChatGPT & Google Gemini, to name a few.

The key to performing well in an interview is to be ready.

Preparation and planning are the only antidote to interview anxiety.

AI for Researching Hiring Companies

The beauty of AI search is that you can use it to research companies. You can gain a serious competitive advantage through the knowledge you acquire.

This will automatically place you head and shoulders above the competition.

Prompt:

I am currently interviewing for a (job title) position at (company name). What are some helpful things you can tell me about this company as well as the industry at this time? What are some pros and cons? What are their corporate values? What are some key news articles I should read about this company? Are there any youtube videos they have put out that I should watch?

Be Proactive - Companies You Would Like to Join

Most people take a reactive approach to job searching. They see what is posted and apply.

Instead, be proactive.

If I were on the job market today, here is what I would do:

Create a list of the top 10 to 20 companies I want to work for. If needed, I would use the same search tools to find the top companies in my industry.

From there, I would search for their career page on their website and watch them. Create a bookmarks folder and go in there daily to see if any new roles fit your criteria.

Most candidates don't know that not all jobs are posted on Indeed and LinkedIn. Posting jobs on those platforms is expensive. You will find all the company's jobs on its individual career pages, as they are posted for free.

Prompt:

Here is a list of companies. Find me their Canadian career page URL.

Another pro tip is to see if you already have any connections in that organization. If so, you can ask them for a referral to HR, which could be another way in for you.

Instructions on how to find connections are here .

Reach Out to the Right Recruiters in Your Niche

While I have highlighted the top reasons to use a recruiter in another article, many niche recruiters can also be of service. Here is a great list of recruitment firms in Canada.

Recruiters are dedicated to finding you the right opportunity and can be a great resource for you overall.

Great recruiters are also a massive resource and very well-connected.

They have visibility on jobs that aren't posted anywhere, as they may be confidential searches.

Connect with great recruiters in your space.

Your Previous Managers

In his book The Alliance Strategy , Reid Hoffman (co-founder of LinkedIn) talks about Tours of Duty . While you may have completed your first or foundational tour of duty with a company, there may be an opportunity for a second tour there in some other capacity.

Reach out to your previous managers to see if such an opportunity exists. They may be looking for someone like you now, as you are essentially a new candidate (thanks to your newly acquired skills and experiences).

A candidate who already understands how a company operates (systems, procedures & culture) can be a very attractive feature to potential hiring managers.

If you do speak to a previous manager, ask them this:

Do you have any current opportunties I could be a good fit for? Would you know of other departments in the company that could use someone like me? Do you know any other contacts outside your organization who may be looking for talent like me at this time?

Working referrals at every turn is something that takes practice but can yield the right connection at the right time.

If you don't ask, you don't receive.

Write a Post Interview Thank You Letter

This is a commonly overlooked step.

I highly recommend writing a letter, as it further demonstrates your interest in and appreciation for the role.

I recommend having a letter in a Word or PDF document. It is not simply a message in an email body but an attached document within an email.

Here is an article from Indeed on how to do this well.

Be Attentive

Monitor emails and keep your phone on. Have your ringer turned up!

It seems simple enough, but many people miss the most important call of the day by letting it go to voicemail.

Be Positive

Being unemployed is hard. No question about it.

However, having faith and taking action will lead to greener pastures.

Happy hunting, and good luck.

Greg