It’s A Numbers Game
If you spend any part of your day not under a rock, you already know the general feeling around the job market isn’t great. If you are only relying on the headlines, then you may not be looking forward to the job hunt. You may even feel like you’ll be forced to settle for work that you don’t want to do. But take heart! There is work out there for you and there are people that need your skills.
Before you even begin typing out that application, let’s take a step back. What I don’t want you to do is start to throw spaghetti at the wall, just hoping someone will hire you. It’s disheartening on both sides of the screen. Before you sit down to grind out some applications, start by doing some research on the types of companies you would want to work at. They don’t necessarily have to be in your industry; you’d be surprised at how much crossover you can find that can allow you to flex some skills and work at a cool place. When I say types, I mean what are their ethos? Is it important to them to create some goodwill in the community they’re in? Do they have flexible work weeks? Anything you can think of that would be ideal, jot it down. Getting all of this on paper gets you thinking about the things you really want, what you would be flexible on and the things you are willing to forgo for the right position.
Once you’ve got those nailed down, start finding the actual companies that fall under these parameters. Or if there is a company that you just know you would love to work for, make sure it’s on the list. This is a living, breathing document so as your experience grows, your parameters will most likely differ. Spend some time digging around their website, their socials and posts on LinkedIn from current employees. It may seem like the next step should be to find positions you can apply for and get cracking but again, I’m going to recommend taking a step back. If you want to grease the wheels and set yourself apart, reach out to current employees on LinkedIn. I don’t mean spamming any and all, I mean researching the teams that they have, the work that they do and reach out only to those who are doing the work you want to do. Treat this step with care: you are trying to make a connection, not trying to scheme into a job. People know when you are being insincere, so ask for an informal informational chat. Maybe you’ll get a few bites, maybe you won’t and that’s OK!
Next up, let’s assume you’ve applied and either 1) gotten a first interview with a recruiter or 2) made your way to the second round. Being able to set yourself apart is big but most rely on sharing just their skills. These are important, absolutely, but people want to hire people that care about their company. That know about their company. The day before your interview, put your research hat back on and review their most recent social media posts to see what’s the latest topic. Look over their website in detail: Who are their board members? What are the latest press releases about the work they have done? What’s coming for them?
No matter the result of your interviews, always send a courteous thank you message. When people are faced with a panic job market and are applying anywhere and everywhere, simple things like this tend to not happen. Whether it results in a job offer or not, how an interview goes is never a reflection of your worth. Think of it more like a puzzle: you simply fit into a place, or you don’t. Sometimes that job is just for someone else. Although it is easier said than done to always keep a stiff upper lip, I live by the mantra: it’s this or something better. Don’t settle, keep researching and keep learning.
