The famed Irish poet/playwright Oscar Wilde is credited with this statement, “The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.” Wilde said this more than 100 years ago, but it is likely something that anyone who has spent any time unemployed or unhappily employed can appreciate.
Currently, it’s a difficult market. Some industries are very slow, while others can’t find enough qualified talent. Our advice is to not let the pandemic scare you into inertia. We continue to hear from employers who are hiring and LLoyd is conducting many excellent search engagements as you read this. You will however, have to adapt your search methods, as well as be ready to interview virtually.
Here are a dozen Resolutions to help you find that perfect position in the year ahead:
- One resume does not fit all – sure it’s work, but customize your resume based on the opportunity. Keep to a core of basic info, but change up the focus and keywords depending on the job criteria.
- Keep your online mouth shut – check privacy settings on any social networking sites. Google yourself to check your digital identity. Banish inappropriate photographs. Don’t badmouth a past or present employer on Twitter or other social networking site and never make a comment about the interview you just had. Job offers have been rescinded based on hastily written “tweets.”
- Cast a wide networking net – do both personal networking and online networking. Strive to reach out to old contacts and prospects. Ask for advice, insight and referrals. If you characterize yourself as “a people person” you need to prove it! The best hires are made from referrals.
- Burn your paper resume – while some recruiters say a paper resume is different enough to make you stand out nowadays, it’s just not a best practice – hey it’s 2021 for goodness sake!
- Be ready for the Virtual interview – Check your lighting, camera and microphone in advance. Practice is essential. Make your mistakes during your test/rehearsals, not when it matters most.
- Don’t take a vacation from the hunt – procrastination won’t earn you a paycheck. Keep the momentum and leads going. Don’t put your search on hold because of Covid19. Companies continue to hire, pandemic or no pandemic.
- Align with a Recruiter – find a search firm or staffing service that specializes in your industry or skill. Tap into their expertise. Use LLoyd visit our job board too!
- Flock together – interact online with other job seekers to improve your accountability. Join a job club. You should also be part of a visible professional association in your region or industry.
- Don’t ignore any resource or tools because you don’t know how to use them – use job boards, networking, department of labor, job fairs, alumni sites, temporary employment companies and more. Create a targeted wish list of your desirable employers.
- Use technology to save time – set up alerts on job boards based on your criteria to let you know when something may interest you. Use sites like Glassdoor.com to see what employees say it’s like to work at a company or what the interview process is like. Follow your wish list employers on social media – posts are often a good clue to company culture.
- Learn a new skill – master something useful to the position you want. Sites like Lynda.com, Udemy.com or even Youtube are loaded with tutorials to teach you new skills. Remember to add it to your resume!
- Boomerang back – if you were in a job that you miss and left without burning any bridges, revisit them. Rejoining a past employer has benefits to the company and the individual – especially if the individual has grown and gained a new perspective and new skills. For the company there is a reduction of risk and a shortened ramp up. A study of HR executives showed 76% were more accepting of hiring boomerang employees now than in the past.
There’s no secret to finding employment; it is often a combination of opportunity, proximity and pure luck. Unfortunately, you can do everything right and still not get the job offer. Still, it is better to give yourself the advantage, rather than eliminate yourself due to outdated tactics or pure inertia. 
It may be cliché, but getting a job is a job and requires a certain amount of discipline and motivation.
Don’t let your 2021 job search be like most new year’s resolutions – 80% fail by February.
Stop saying tomorrow!