The out of office messages have started the slow decline, the wind a steady incline, and your job-searching efforts are finally coming up from recline. Fall is here. It’s time to refocus your career aspirations and get your resume in front of the right people as they return from summer vacation. But before you hit send, make sure you’ve prepared your brand accordingly.
Wake up the Network
With people getting back into the mindset of non-casual Fridays, it’s time to reach out and connect or reconnect. Make a list of 10 people that you want to touch base with and get something on the calendar to meet with them in the next couple of weeks. It’s no surprise that networking leads to 60% of all jobs found.
Revamp your Resume
When job searching, a resume acts as your business card so it should be optimized to give you the best opportunity to land an interview. Follow these tips if you want to make an impression on the next recruiter or hiring manager that sees it. Once you’ve completed the copy, ask three people in your network for feedback. At least one of these people should be someone in your actual field or someone who is incredibly familiar with your niche.
Prioritize your Work Options
Once your resume is complete, look at yourself introspectively and prioritize who you want to work for and what you want to do. Creating a resume and just throwing it out there isn’t strategic, do the research. Are any of your dream employers hiring? Are you connected to anyone from that company on LinkedIn? Are any of their leaders speaking at events or on webinars? Don’t underestimate the power of cold email.
Prepare for the Opportunity
Come up with your professional elevator pitch and be ready to deliver it if you earn that initial interview in the hiring process. Have answers to the well-known interview questions and make sure you don’t fall victim to these interview snafus.
Polish your Digital Presence
With close to 70% of recruiters perusing social media almost instantaneously when a resume crosses their desk, it’s important to clean up those accounts. Remove any pictures you wouldn’t want an employer or potential employer to see. Brand yourself across the digisphere as an active member within your industry. Like, comment, and share thoughtful professional posts or articles.
Dress for Success
Don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want. There’s some merit to this well-known interview advice because one-size doesn’t fit all. If you’re applying for a job at a bank, business attire would be warranted for the interview. If you’re applying for a job at a startup, a casual look might be more the speed. Don’t assume every job interview means it’s time to suit up. Think about the job you are applying for and the company you’re applying to when determining your outfit choice.
Remember the Thank You
The days of every candidate sending a well-thought-out thank you note following an interview has come and gone. Stand out with a genuine thank you note. Quality and speed matter following your meeting, and it will have an impact.
Put away the beach chairs and get the closed-toed shoes cleaned off because Fall is here and so is your opportunity to job search like a boss.
