In the digital age, where everyone is busy snapping and live streaming the glimpse of their fun side for the whole world to see, landing the dream job may just have become a bit challenging for the millennia’s. Thanks to numerous job portals and online advertisements, finding a vacancy has got a lot easier. But now you need more than just a well-crafted resume to land the job you desire.
Whether you acknowledge this or not, human resource professionals are quite familiar with the proper use of available technology. And before they pick your profile for a suitable job opening in their organization, they look for you on the internet to see if your personality is at par with the company’s culture. So, if you are going for a job hunt, you definitely need to focus on your online presence.
It goes without saying that the job hunting process has changed significantly with the evolution of technology. In case you desire to succeed in your job hunting pursuit, you will require some useful tricks which will allow you to stay on top of the game.
1. Upgrade Your Resume For Each Job Application
Yes, there are a lot of things besides a resume that you should be focusing on while looking for a job. But let’s not forget the fact that resumes still play a significant role in getting you the job you desire. Unfortunately, the concept of “one size fits all” does not work anymore. When you are applying for a job, tweak the resume a bit to make it appropriate for the job. No, I’m not suggesting you to lie on the resume, but you can certainly fine-tune it, so that it fits the requirements asked by the company.
2. Google Yourself
Before you apply for a job in your desired field of profession, just put your name in the Google search engine, and see what the results are. As said earlier, the HR professionals learn about the candidates on the internet before they even contact them for the job. So, won’t it be better to find your embarrassing details on the internet first, and remove or modify them before the recruiters find them? I guess you know the answer.
3. Build A Decent Linkedin Profile
You may have already heard about LinkedIn, the social networking platform for professionals. It may not be as happening as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, but having a proper LinkedIn profile can boost your chances of landing the dream job in today’s digital age. Believe it or not, your LinkedIn profile can get you more job offers than any other job portals on the internet. A report shows that 89 percent of the recruiters have hired someone through LinkedIn.
4. Use The Right Set Of Keywords
While developing your profile on LinkedIn or any other job portal, filling the space with impressive details is not going to be enough to get you the job. In this digital age, the use of keyword is also essential in getting the attention of the recruiters. You may have seen how Google allows its users to find the right results based on their keyword search. Similarly, these job portals and LinkedIn also feature those profiles that match the keyword search made by the recruiters.
5. Don’t Shy Away From The Camera
Whether you have noticed it or not, videos have become the most consumed content format on the internet. And while it may sound a bit weird to you, having a video resume in today’s date can actually help you improve your odds in the job hunt. No, you don’t need to create an over-the-top video resume as Barney did in “The Possimplible” episode from How I Met Your Mother. But having a well-prepared video resume can actually set you apart from the crowd.
6. Be Prepared For A Video Interview
Apart from preparing a video resume, you may need to face the camera if the recruiter decides to take the interview over the internet. Video interviews are quite common in today’s digital age. And since a large number of employers run their businesses from remote locations, you may also get to face a few video interviews during your job hunting days. So, get comfortable being in front of the camera. Who knows, it may also come in handy in the later part of your career.
7. Regulate Your Personal Profiles
As said, the majority of the recruiters check your online reputation before contacting you for the job. And if they find out that you have done or posted something really offensive in the past, they may simply reject your profile even before looking at your expertise and achievements. We all have heard what happened to James Gunn, the director and writer of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. So, be careful about what you share on your social media profiles. It is best if you can keep your updates private or to friends only.
8. Don’t Be A Jack Of All Trades And Master Of None
Earlier, employers might have appreciated the candidates who knew something about everything, but that no longer impresses today’s recruiters. Now, every organization looks for a specialist who is good at his job. So instead of adding new skills to the extra-curricular section, improve the skills that are essential to your preferred field of profession. Unless you perfect your skills for the job you are hired to do, nobody is going to pay attention to what else you can do.
9. Follow The Companies You Are Interested In On Social Media
In today’s digital world, the recruiters can learn a lot about your personality leveraging the information available on the social media platforms. Fortunately, they are not the only one with the access to the social networking platforms. You can also learn a lot about the companies you are interested in just by browsing through their Facebook or Twitter accounts. This may help you to get an idea of what kind of work they do. Also, knowing about the company may offer you an edge while walking in for an interview.
10. Don’t Just Tell Show The Recruiters What You Can Do
If you have appeared in a few job interviews before, you may know that there’s a limited amount of time to impress the recruiter to land the job. Most people generally choose to utilize the time by telling the employer how they can be a valuable inclusion to the company. While that may work for a few people, you can take it to the next level and show the recruiter what you can do. A presentation or a video can be a great way to engage the recruiter. If you think you can show some of your work in a limited time, you can do that too, but without overwhelming the recruiters.
Bonus Tip: Leverage Your Connections Across The Industry
Job hunting does not necessarily have to be a lone journey. It is okay to involve your friends, family, and acquaintances in the process if it seems necessary. Letting people know that you are looking for a job in a specific industry can help you learn more about the number of opportunities. You can even ask your friends on the social media platforms to inform you if they have the knowledge of any opportunity. A lot of company asks for recommendations. If you have informed all your connections, they can refer you to the recruiter for a particular position.
Interestingly, these tips are not just for the beginners. If you have spent a significant number of years in the industry, you can also use these hacks to land a better job. It may not be a cake walk (it never was), but at least you will stay ahead of others who are also engaged in the process of job hunting with you. The recruiters often take your knowledge about the available technology and the social networking skills into account.
