The new year has come; and as job search trends evolve, you should be able to adapt to be a competitive job seeker. With that, how can you become a bolder job candidate this 2021? Try out these not-so-typical, out-of-the-box job hunting tips!
Scout for companies, not jobs.
This year, make it a part of your New Year’s career resolutions to be proactive in your job search. Identify your short-. medium-, and long-term goals. Ask yourself what and who you want to be in a specific period of time. Assess what type of career path you would like to take on, and create an action plan aligned to that. These will help you determine what type of employer or organization you want to work with.
Also, as you take that bold step of searching for companies or businesses to become a part of, you must be able to “create your position” instead of just waiting around for your dream job to come. Practice your critical thinking skills, judgment skills, and ability to create practical solutions to address challenges in an organization. Use these to come up with unique ideas that you can present to employers or recruiters as your elevator pitch or proof that you deserve to land the job.
Be vulnerable enough to ask (and listen) for advice.
Sometimes, we may feel as if we already know how we should go about our job search. The thing is, practical and unconventional job hunting tips are more than what we know through theory.
And what better way to discover more effective job search techniques than asking around for pieces of advice? Most especially to those who have been working for some time now.
Also, doing this can help you see yourself through the eyes of others. Ask your colleagues, previous leaders, relatives, or even your friends. What do they think is your strength? How would they introduce you as someone vying for the job? Asking for their input about your professional image can help you pinpoint which skills and strengths you should highlight, and even improve on for you to be a more qualified candidate for the job or company you’re targeting.
Don’t always follow your passion.
While “doing what you love” is one of the most common career advice anyone can get in their lifetime, you have to beg to differ this year. Have the courage to accept that not everything aligned to what you’re passionate about is going to take you places. At times, life isn’t good and your passion can’t help you pursue the life you want to have.
Lastly, one of the major realizations that 2020 has taught us is that not all career paths are stable, and a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic can take away millions of jobs in just a snap. While there may be a handful of circumstances we can’t control, the power to adjust our mindset toward situations is in our hands. Make 2021 the year you recalibrated your career goals and came out of your comfort zone.
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