Don’t Apply For a Job UNTIL You do These Things

I see it all too often.

Someone is getting ready to look for a new job and they don’t know where to go or what to do so they start scrolling through the job boards like Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn, etc.

That is actually just going to delay your success in getting interviews.

Wait WHAT?

I know what you are thinking.

Amanda, what on earth do you mean it will delay my success in getting interviews. I am being proactive and looking right away.

Yes, and while it is great that you are being proactive and looking for a job, without having a perfectly tailored resume, cover and LinkedIn profile is a waste of time.

What if you find the PERFECT job. Your DREAM job.

Yea, you know the one I mean.

What if you find that right off the bat and the position applications close today.

Bummer. Actually, that is probably more like BUMMER.

Don’t start searching for your next job until you are ready to go.

But you are probably knocking a few pieces of advice around in your head right now that all told you to make sure your resume is totally geared for the exact job you are applying for, and your cover letter needs to be specific as possible.

Yep, you are correct my friend. You do need to have a focused resume and cover letter ready to go that is fairly specific no doubt. But what if you already had that  ready to go and just had to quickly tweak it so you can meet that application deadline TODAY. Rock on right? 😊 Makes sense huh?

Forgetting to do an resume preparation is the number one cause of stress and missing out on your dream job. Period.

My advice to you as a professional who has seen this day in and day out:

OMG I found the perfect job, but it closes NOW. Can you help?

Rushing is never the way to go folks.

When you decide you are ready to begin looking for a new job here is a short checklist of things you need to do BEFORE you hit the job board.

Do a Total LinkedIn Makeover. 

When you are ready to look for a new position, even if it isn’t a career change, this is the perfect time to update your LinkedIn and give it a new feel and vibe. Focus on the type of job you want. What are the recruiters like in that industry/field. tie it all up with various company culture ideals and focus on positivity throughout your profile and summary and include accomplishments that WOW. Also adjust your profile to show recruiters that you are actively looking.

Update Your Resume.

Yea, I KNOW you just rolled your eyes at me. You are probably wondering if you resume isn’t that old- why redo it completely? Well, for starters you have your most recent/current job duties and accomplishments to add, and I can tell you right now you won’t necessarily have the right phraseology on it to fit the types of jobs you are looking for now. The title is also probably wrong, and the layout may even been different than what it should be, industry depending. I could go on and on, but I’ll stop here. Re-develop your resume. Don’t have time? Contact a professional for help on it!

Oh Yea… Don’t Forget Your Cover Letter.

As much as I totally agree that you should have a very focused resume, I’m personally a bit more laxed with the cover letter. It needs to be a strong one for your industry and almost needs to contain a Call To Action. I like to think of cover letters as sales letters, it really pushes recruiters to look at your resume and see you are a very serious candidate. Prepare a generic level cover letter that is easily tweakable as you go through applying for jobs you would love to interview for.

NOW you are ready to start checking out the job boards.

You are PREPARED.

You have a HOT resume that is focused perfectly, your cover letter is strong and industry ready and can instantly be tweaked to fit whatever job you are going to apply for, plus you know when recruiters check out your LinkedIn profile, it is slick and will garner their attention. So hit up Indeed, Monster, Career Builder, and LinkedIn to your hearts delight.

Make sure to follow up and respond immediately to all interview offers.  

The whole exercise of being ready will HELP you get interview offers faster because you will look professional, polished and a serious candidate in every way possible to all potential recruiters and companies you apply to.

When you are lazy and just think- meh, my last resume must have been good because I got a job, you will find yourself in a situation that just results in not hearing back with interview offers and wondering what is wrong. Don’t delay your success, just do it right from the get-go!

Moral of the story:

Do yourself a favor; prepare your resume and career profiles before applying for a job.

Trust me. You will thank me after.

xx,

Amanda, The Job Chick

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