How To Make Your Next Job Come To You
There are two types of job seekers in the working world. Reactive job seekers go looking for a job. Proactive job candidates, however, attract recruiters and employers looking to hire them.
No, that last statement did not lapse into fiction. Imagine being in chill mode when your next job comes to you. It can happen.
So what’s the secret sauce?
Proactive job seekers position their job-hunting tools to work even when they don’t. The best part? You can adopt their accessible tactics to optimize your own job search efforts.
Here are seven ways to create and maximize self-promotion opportunities to make your next job come to you.
Update Your LinkedIn
Score a new job or consulting opportunities by being recruited through LinkedIn. Use keywords that align with a desired future job opportunity to help recruiters find your profile. Complete your relevant job history including major wins, responsibilities, and recommendations from peers and managers. Consider writing a quick 300-word cover statement that details your experience, skills, and professional interests.
Take on Consulting Work
Taking on small consulting projects on the side is a great way to attract future job opportunities because it gives you an opportunity to work with many companies who may want to hire you in the future. Find consulting projects in your field by reaching out to past employers and inquire if they have any projects you may assist with. Search job boards for full and part-time opportunities and offer yourself as a potential consultant.
Share Your Expertise
Gain visibility in your industry association or others by developing presentations, which can include in-person events, teleconferences or webinars. Not only will you demonstrate your confidence as a thought leader and showcase your work ethic, but speaking in front of executives could leave an impression and lead to a new job.
Lead with Skills in Your Job Posting
Artificial intelligence is being used by more companies to assess candidates and narrow down their pool of applicants, says Carisa Miklusak, CEO of tilr and a careers and workforce expert. This technology matches people to jobs based on skills and performance, instead of titles, so it’s important to lead with your skill set in your resume or job posting. “This approach will also broaden your spectrum of opportunities because it’ll match you with jobs that you would have missed if you were more focused on past titles,” she says.
Schedule “Informational” Interviews
This type of interview allows you to learn more about a career path, an employer or specific position by talking to people either in your networks or who were referred to you. This is a great way to get yourself noticed and expand your network while learning more about another professional’s career. But do your homework first. Identify your questions, arrive with an agenda, act professional and make the meeting brief. Shoot for 15 minutes and no more than 30 minutes.
Target Companies, Not Jobs
Research and learn everything you can about the organizations on your target list. “Keep in mind that a company hires an employee to solve a problem. What unique problem can you solve?” says Neely Raffellini, founder of 9 to 5 Project and a career coach. Get the inside scoop from connections about the culture and needs of specific companies as well as a better understanding of what it’s like working there. A 2016 LinkedIn survey of 26,151 of its members found that six out of 10 respondents wanted to learn more about a company’s culture and values more than its perks and benefits. Follow their lead.
Make a Specific "Ask" of Your Contacts
People are more willing to lend a hand when told what they need to do. That means you need to be clear and specific with your requests for referrals, introductions or assistance with resume or LinkedIn profile reviews.
Create an Engaging Online Presence
Whether you have a website, social media presence, LinkedIn or a profile on a niche talent pool service, be authentic. Make sure that employers get a strong impression of who you are at a glance. This could include providing unique content, an engaging photo or a video clip, coupled with a concise summary of who you are as a professional.
Investing time, energy and creativity in self-promotion can pay off. Consider using any or all of these steps to increase the possibility that your next job, perhaps even your dream position, comes directly to you.