Is your New Year 2013 resolution “to get a job”? A resolution is great–because you’ve got to have a goal before you can hit it. But the next step after creating the goal is creating the plan to meet the goal. (See these great strategies for effective New Year’s resolutions, too.)
With that in mind, I have put together seven smart steps you can take this year to get you hired into the job you want.
1. Improve Your Resume
Recently, I got a group of about 250 resumes from job seekers all at once. Only 2 didn’t need any improvement. So don’t assume that your resume is good. Play the odds and assume that it needs work. If you have been in the job search more than a couple of months, there’s a good chance that your resume isn’t doing what it should for you. Does your resume sell you? Does it have numbers, dollars, or percentages? Does it use bullet points rather than paragraphs? If not, get resume help here.
2. Get Active on Social Media
LinkedIn and Facebook are where the bulk of the job search action is today. Don’t just set up a profile and call it good. Put some thought into polishing your profile–on LinkedIn AND Facebook. Join groups of people in your field (not job seekers groups). Talk about your job search. Work this social media angle, and it will work for you.
3. Join Professional Groups
Join groups that relate to your industry–in the real world as well as in the virtual. And then get involved in those groups. Join discussions online. Go to events. Mingle. Get to know people. Don’t lead with, “I need a job.” Make ‘getting to know more people in your field’ your real goal. This is an amazing way to build your network and it will pay off for you in the short-term as well as in the long-term.
4. Contact Hiring Managers Directly About Jobs
Who’s a hiring manager? That is the person who is your future boss, or your future boss’s boss. The Decision-Maker. That’s who you need to be talking to. Not HR. If you don’t believe me, or you’re not sure how to go about it, then come to my free webinar: Why Online Applications Are Killing Your Job Search. It will change your life.
5. Polish Your Interview Skills
If you do the first 3 things on this list, you will get interviews. Start preparing for those interviews now.
First, get my Job Interview Prep Kit. It’s free, and it will guide you through the process of preparing for your interview. There are things in this guide you haven’t thought of, but that will make a world of difference in how you do.
Second, start reading my How to Answer Interview Questions blog series. There are 101 job interview questions and answers there that will dramatically improve your answers. Or, go to Amazon and get the ebook so you can carry it around all at once on your Kindle.
6. Talk to More People
Talk to everyone. It will uncover opportunities for you. Expand your network. Deepen your existing network. See if there is anything you can do for someone else while you’re looking for your job. Try to set up informational interviews or job shadows. All these things are great job search strategies. And they all involve talking to others, rather than just poring over more online job listings.
7. Take Care of Yourself
This goes way beyond the traditional “lose weight” New Year’s Resolution. Resolve to do things that are good for you and make you feel better…eating healthy, getting up and moving, making time for friends and fun. If you do positive things for yourself while you’re in the job search, it will show when you talk to your network and potential employers. You will seem more confident, and you will be more positive–which is a very attractive quality.