How do you develop a successful job search strategy? Mike Pincott

Being on the search for a job is no straightforward task; it takes time, effort and dedication. In fact, sometimes the search can feel like a full time job in itself. This is exactly why having a strong strategy to follow is vital for success. Your ultimate goal is to be in a role you love and, in order to achieve that, you need a mix of determination, skill and organisation. So, how do you develop a successful job search strategy?

Establish your goals

Do you know where you want to be? If the answer is no then you need to establish your goals. It is important to have an idea of your overall career goals so you know where to look and what to strive for. Ask yourself, “what do I value most in life?”, “what do I want to gain from my career?” and “where do I eventually want to end up?”. From this you can easily start creating long and short term goals to get where you want to be and help decide on your ideal career. Whilst establishing your goals you should also be considering what types of qualities you are looking for in your future job - this is something that you'll be doing everyday so make sure it’s the right fit.

A core part of a solid job search strategy is to establish your goals and know where you want to be. It can be hard to know what you want to do so research is critical; it helps to identify the industries you’re interested in and work from there. By having targeted goals, you will find it much easier to develop a plan that is going to suit you best.

Know your skills and strengths

Once you’ve established where you want to be, identify whether you have the skills to get there and what strengths you have to offer. By evaluating both, you’ll get a better understanding of where your talents lie and how you can implement them in new roles. It also assists in targeting your job search in an efficient and effective way as it means you can match your abilities to the job opportunities available.

Research your ideal company and job title

Once you have evaluated your skills, strengths and goals, you can start to look for job titles that will suit you and see what opportunities are available. It is good to start by searching for companies who are hiring right now as it increases your chances of success. You should also focus on leading job sites that companies are using to recruit. Also, use job search engines to find keywords that match your interests to help narrow down the options. It is important to tighten your search criteria as it helps save time, maintain focus and provide you with highly relevant job listings to review.

Be prepared and organised

Being prepared and organised; two key elements for success. Once your job search starts you’ll need to keep track of the jobs you have applied for as well as any next steps to complete. It is also good to have a calendar so you can keep a note of any interview dates. Use your time to prepare and update your CV, rehearse your interview questions, gather things for your portfolio and prepare a list of references.

Participate in networking opportunities

Networking is an extremely popular way of finding jobs and in fact, 85% of jobs are filled through just that. It is an effective way to get yourself noticed by employers and show people what your goals are and what you want to achieve in your new role. Social networks such as LinkedIn are perfect for this as it allows you to access a range of people - both in your industry of interest and more. It is important to connect with as many people as you can as you never know who someone else might know. As well as creating an online presence, things like career search and industry events are perfect to get your face known and discover new opportunities.

Practice interview skills

An interview is the make or break between you getting the job or not, so being prepared is a must. It is good to come up with pre-prepared questions to ask and complete practice runs with a friend or relative to help imagine how the real one would be. By taking simple steps like this, you’ll find your interview anxiety is reduced and confidence is boosted; after the interview has happened it is also helpful to write down any questions asked that you found difficult or useful. Awareness and practice will help you to become a skilled and composed candidate.

When developing a successful job search strategy it’s easy to see that it takes determination and dedication to get where you want to be. Simple processes like establishing your goals, taking advantage of networking opportunities and researching your ideal job titles could be the reason you are successful.