Strategic Job Searching
By Paul Murphy
Whether it’s for your first job or a change well into your career, having a strategic approach to your job search will increase your chances of success and landing the role that’s right for you.
Having interviewed hundreds of candidates in my career, there’s a clear and distinguishable difference between those with a well-thought-out approach to their job search, and those who don’t. So to ensure your best chance at success and in the shortest time possible, here are our tips to a strategic job search that you can put into action well before your search even starts.
Set your career goals
Defining your career goals before starting out on a job search will help identify what you want to accomplish, and how you’re going to get there. Being clear on what you want will save you a lot of time too by not submitting applications and sitting through interviews for roles that won’t help you achieve your goals or that you don’t really want.
Define your strengths
It’s important to take the time to identify your strengths so you can articulate and communicate them to future employers, and build your profile whilst you aren’t looking.
Improve your digital footprint
Search engines and social media provide recruiters and organisations with the tools required to source top talent, based on the information found in your profile. So the better your profile, the more likely you are to turn up in a search for that dream role you’ve been looking for.
Update your resume
Even if you aren’t actively looking right now, it’s a good idea to keep your resume updated regularly, for the simple reason that it’s easier to record your accomplishments as you go, rather than trying to remember them when your dream job presents itself.
Our suggestion is to always have a few variations of your resume too, applicable to the jobs you want to apply for. And despite popular belief, cover letters are still highly regarded! So always be sure to include one that has been personalised for the specific job and gives the reader more of an insight into you, why you’re applying the job and how you can make an impact.
Research the market
Researching the industry, job market and the types of organisations you’d like to work for will help:
Narrow your job search. Rather than wasting your time applying for multiple jobs, you can focus on only the ones you really feel strongly about.
Identify the best opportunities for you. You’ll know which opportunities are a good fit or not.
Gives you a competitive advantage by developing your knowledge about the sector.
Industry and market knowledge is a powerful advantage in any job search as you’ll not only know where you sit in terms of demand for your skills, but also the types of companies you’d like to work for to grow your career.
Identify your ideal workplace culture
Knowing the type of workplace culture and environment that brings out the best in you will play an important role in your job search. Cultural fit is just as important as job fit and your ability to perform the duties of the position you’re hired for.
To identifying your ideal workplace culture, ask yourself:
What type of office environment do you want to work in?
Do you prefer to work for a large or small organisation?
What type of management structure do you prefer?
How do I like to be shown that my work is valued?
What core values do I want to work with?
Leverage your network
Building a professional network (both online and offline) should form part of your own personal branding throughout your career, and when it is time to search for a new role, reach out to your connections and let them know you are looking.
Be sure to include recruiters in your network too, specific to your industry as they’ll be well connected and often know of unpublished opportunities.
Collect references
References serve as a powerful tool during the hiring process. Hiring managers often contact references to find out what a candidate can truly accomplish and what they’re like to work with, so it’s important to carefully choose your references before applying for jobs.
By being strategic in your job search, you’ll be rewarded with a role that’s right for you and a fulfilling career in the long-term.
Paul Murphy is the Managing Director of Stratacon Professional Recruitment.
With over 14 years’ experience in recruitment in the UK and Australia, Paul leads a team of specialists recruiters in Victoria’s construction, property, engineering and architecture sector.