Tips to find a new job

Whether you are newly employed or currently employed but looking for another place to work, it can be a stressful experience using helpful resources such as job search websites to secure that new position. However, following these tips will help ease the process and make it not as stressful as it otherwise would be.

Determine your long-term plans

You’ve likely heard the common question, “Where do see yourself in five years?” It may have been asked of you during an interview, but, regardless of if it has or not, it’s a good question to know the answer to. It helps to know what your long-term goals are so that you can better determine if the positions that you’re considering applying for will help you get there. Of course, doing this introspective thinking will also help you answer that question during an interview should it be asked.

Is your resume up to date?

Take a fresh look at your resume. In other words, don’t just add a few lines to it with information on your current or most recent position. Step back and reassess how it likely comes across as a whole. You might also want to consider tailoring it for specific positions as some aspects of your employment history should be stressed more or less depending on where your resume is being sent.

Research and practice

Make sure to research the company and the industry that you’re applying for. This should be done prior to applying while those researching efforts should be redoubled should you be selected for an interview.

Be prepared to answer questions related to why you’re the best person for the job and otherwise. Engage in mock interviews with co-workers if possible or friends if it’s not.

Use a variety of resources

Careerone.com.au is one of the best resources that you can use. It provides job listings for positions that are available throughout Australia and also offers alerts and advice. Make sure to check its listings every day as positions are posted on a regular basis, and you want to be one of the first ones applying for those that are of interest to you.

However, you do want to ensure that you don’t rely solely on that job search website. One thing to consider is that some organizations only advertise on their own websites, so check those out too.

Also, connections that you have in your field and in other ones are more important than any online or similar resources that you could use. That’s because it’s believed that four-fifths of jobs are not advertised. So you will want to not only network but also do the best work possible at every position that you hold so that you impress those who know you professionally and can recommend you to people hiring for both unlisted and listed positions. Also talk to those you know to see if they can point you towards positions to apply for, including ones listed at careerone.com.au, as they know your skill set well and can serve as positive references as well.

Another strategy to consider is cold calling. This entails you visiting or otherwise contacting a prospective place to work and offering your services without knowing if a job is available. This can often put you in the right place at the right time as far as unadvertised jobs go or positions that were due to be advertised but never were because you convinced the organization to hire you before they ever reached that stage. Even places that aren’t hiring may be able to point you towards one or more who are.

Be careful with social media content

Although your social media profiles are great in that they show a side of you that is not readily seen while viewing your resume, that’s a double-edged sword as prospective employers may see a side of you that convinces them to not hire you. This can include being pictured or endorsing drug use, speaking negatively about current or previous employers or otherwise being inappropriate in their eyes. But, with that said, your social media profile could be what convinces a prospective employer to hire you.