4 Simple Steps For Job Search Success in 2016
Simply Hired Staff
A career or job change is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions. But when it comes to making it happen, resolutions like losing weight or quitting a bad habit may seem more obtainable. This is often tied to the fact that individuals set New Year’s career goals that they don’t actually have control over. For example, a goal to get a job is out of your hands, because while you may search and apply for jobs, you don’t have the power to make a company hire you. That’s why you have to set a different kind of career goal. For example, apply to a 5 jobs per week or attend 2 networking events, and so forth. With those kinds of goals you’ll be ready to land a new job in the new year.
Here are some further steps that will put you in control of your job search and help you find a new job in 2016.
Use Data To Drive Your Search
Data drives every business decision, job search should be no different. If you’ve decided it’s time to look for a new job consult the employment data and see if it agrees. To this end, Simply Hired’s monthly Employment Outlook can be invaluable. It provides insights into hiring trends across industries, metro areas, occupations and more. With this report in hand you’ll be able to make decisions informed by hard hiring data. An overall strong economy doesn’t necessarily indicate that every industry and occupation is in the same condition. If your particular metro area isn’t hiring your job, consider another location. If a parallel industry is booming while your current industry seems stagnant, consider a change. Also, if salary is driving your job change, determine if your current salary is competitive. Salary research may, again, lead you to considering a different location, occupation, or industry. Simply Hired’s Salary Estimator can help you. With each of these important factors, put in some research beforehand and make data driven decisions.
Search at the Right Time of Year
January is consistently one of the best times of the year to look for a job. There are more people looking for jobs in January than any other time of year. This may seem like it’s to your disadvantage, but actually, it’s not. Companies have come to expect this surge in job seekers and they plan their annual hiring campaigns accordingly. So more jobs are posted online during the end of December and beginning of each new year. Companies setting new hiring goals also tend to be more proactive about filling those new jobs as well. In January optimism for the New Year is running high. Make sure you capitalize on this hiring trend and start searching for the job that’s right for you!
Search the Right Way
A job search is a time consuming affair. If you’re thinking about launching one, make sure you do it the right way and utilize all the tools at your disposal. On Simply Hired’s website this means using search filters so you’re only looking at the right jobs for you. Filters include job type (full, part-time, seasonal, etc.), distance, date posted, and more. A combination of these will allow you to view the most relevant jobs. Maximize your time by downloading the Simply Hired app and looking for jobs when you’re out and about. You can even take it a step further and apply to jobs from your phone. Just look for the “Simply Apply” icon. When you see it next to a job, you can apply with a click. If you don’t have a chance to apply, use “Save Job” and come back to it later.
Set Yourself Up For Success
Staying organized and on top of your job search is equally important. At Simply Hired, we recommend signing up for email alerts so that you don’t have to continually check back for new job listings. Instead, you’ll receive a notification by email when a new position opens up. Take the time to upload your resume onto your Simply Hired account as well. This way, if you find an exciting job, you don’t have to wait to get to your home computer to apply. Once you have set up your account, you can save a cover letter to avoid wasting time writing one from scratch or worse yet, not including one at all. Finally, remember to periodically log in to your Simply Hired account to edit and manage your various email alerts and check for any jobs you saved.
Although finding a new job in the new year may have been a far reaching goal in the past, if you set the correct expectations and follow these tips you should be able to land a position that’s a better fit for you in 2016 and take your career to new heights. Good luck!
