Job Search Strategies
- Sam Martello
- Jan 8
- 4 min read
Written by Sam Martello, Digital Marketing Intern; Edited by Coach Jessie
If you’ve recently been involved in a job search, you likely understand how strange, frustrating and difficult it is to navigate. Between ghost jobs, applicant tracking systems (ATS), and the sheer volume of applicants per job (especially for remote roles), it can feel impossible to get anywhere in the modern job market.
Let’s unpack some of the modern struggles of the job search in 2024 and discuss some tactics for you to keep in mind in your job search strategy going into 2025:
Factors Affecting the Current Job Market
If you’ve looked for work or sent out applications recently, you’ve likely already seen how strange things are with the current job search. It’s not uncommon for a remote job to have over 200 applicants within a day or two. There’s a lot of competition, and the numbers game can feel daunting. How are you supposed to compete against so many other qualified professionals?
Companies have been hesitant about hiring for many reasons. Things have changed a lot since the “Great Resignation” post-Covid. They’re concerned about costs and a looming recession and are less likely to be open to remote work. The leverage that workers had a few years ago seems to have disappeared, creating a much more difficult search than many people were accustomed to.
AI concerns
It’s hard to know what the impact of AI technology will bring into the workforce, as so much is changing right now. You’re likely concerned about getting replaced or losing opportunity in your field. With so much new information and tools coming out on a monthly basis, how can you hope to keep up?
In the short term, existing jobs are going to be redesigned and made more efficient. If you haven’t already, try creating an account with ChatGPT or newer tools like Claude 3. Get a feel for how these tools work and how they can be applied in your work life. You can also do research to see what the potential use cases of AI will be in your field. The job search itself could actually be a great place to practice, using AI tools to help refine and customize your resume and messages.
While the topic is daunting, taking a few steps to learn more can demystify AI as a concept and give you at least some knowledge. Remember, everyone else is also grappling with these changes and trying to make sense of new technology. It will take some time to see how it plays out in the world, so just be sure to keep your eyes open for new opportunities.
Go Further With Networking
It can be extremely tempting to just fire off applications when job searching. Sites like Indeed and LinkedIn offer a quick apply feature, where you can upload your resume and get applications submitted in just a few minutes. While this can be okay to do sometimes, you’ll need to do much more to stand out from the hundreds of other applicants doing the same thing.
Hopefully you already know at least a few people in your life and in your career who could help you land a new job, either as a referral or someone directly involved in the hiring process. Even aside from that, there’s still a lot you can do. Oftentimes, a job on LinkedIn will include the hiring manager listed as the job poster. You can send a connection request and include a note to introduce yourself as one way to establish a point of contact.
Ideally you would want at least a few points of contact for each job you apply for. It’s tempting to go for quantity, but quality makes a huge difference. You’ll have fewer chances at getting hired than mass applying, but a much higher chance of success in each chance.
Remember, each of these additional steps you take separate you from the rest of the applicants. Yes, a job may have 300 applicants, but think about the quality of those applications. How many just pressed the quick apply button and moved on? Simply messaging the recruiter/hiring manager puts you ahead of so many. Taking the time to properly tailor your resume helps you further stand out and lets you beat the ATS system that filters out most others.
Optimize your LinkedIn
To make your networking efforts more effective, it’s important to have a compelling LinkedIn profile. Your LinkedIn is often the first impression you give when networking online, and one of the first things hiring managers will see after viewing your application. Think about it from their perspective. Would you be inclined to interview someone you know nothing about, or someone who has an established online presence?
It’s worthwhile to take the time to make it look professional and make sure it represents you well. Be sure to fill out the profile completely, including a picture and bio and fill out your skills, including keywords related to the job you’re searching for. You can also utilize your job title for that purpose as well. Lastly, make sure to include the ‘looking for work’ banner in your profile as well. You can set it so it only is visible to recruiters if you prefer.
Taking these steps makes it more likely you’ll appear in searches and be found. If your profile is well put together, recruiters may take the initiative and actually reach out to you. Wouldn’t that be so much easier?
Improve Your Job Search With a Career Coach
Want help with navigating the job search process? Our coaching program at Mindset City can help you with your next career move. Take a look at what we have to offer.
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