Searching for a new job is never easy, and searching for one during a pandemic creates many more obstacles. Times are tough for millions of Americans, both economically and socially. Some hard-working professionals have been out of work for most of the year. The daily job search grind can wear you down after a couple of months, and it can be easy to start working harder instead of smarter. Here are four job search habits you must adopt to elevate your success.
Refine your job search
The first job search habit you must adopt to find your next career opportunity is to refine your search. There are thousands of job openings out there, and it can be overwhelming to sift through them all. To save time and find the right job for your career goals, you must improve your search strategy. Refine your search parameters by inserting quotation marks around your desired job titles. This will force the job boards you’re utilizing to only show you results that exactly match your search terms.
For example, if you are searching for Human Resources Manager positions on any major job boards, you will likely get hundreds of results. That is because they will show you any jobs containing all or part of your searched title. However, if you add quotations around your searched title, like “Human Resources Manager,” this will significantly refine your search and show you more relevant job openings. This is an easy way to narrow your search and make it easier to find jobs that meet your needs.
Save your application responses
Some job applications take forever to complete and seem a little outdated. I think we have all applied for a job, submitted our resume, and then had to essentially retype your resume to answer basic questions about your work history and education. An easy solution to mitigate this headache is to save your common job application responses. Having common questions ready to go will save your time and make your job application process much smoother! With less time wasted answering questions, you can shift your focus on applying for other jobs or tackling some online courses.
Clean up your inbox
The easiest way to elevate your job search is to keep your inbox clean and tidy. It’s easy for your inbox to quickly become cluttered after signing up for a few job search alerts. And as you apply for jobs and receive application confirmations, interview requests, and other communications, your inbox can quickly become a mess. Keep your email organized by creating folders and deleting unnecessary emails. This will reduce some stress when it comes time to find an important email. The last thing you want to do is miss out on a vital email, such as an interview request, because it got lost in your inbox. Organize your emails as you go, and you will be amazed at how much easier your search will be.
Be selective with your job applications
The last job search habit you must adopt to elevate your job search is to be more selective. One of the most common job search misconceptions is the more jobs you apply for, the better your odds. However, this is absolutely a myth. You should carefully review each posting before you apply for it. Read the job description from top to bottom and lookup the company. Don’t set yourself up for failure by applying for a job you are not qualified for or one you do not even want. The goal is quality over quantity applications. “Applying for jobs that fit your professional experience may receive better response rates than ones that do not,” according to Indeed.
These four habits are easy to incorporate into your search strategy and improve your success in landing a new opportunity. Good luck!
