Basic Job Searching Tips that are Often Forgotten

The irony of job search advice: There’s so much available that you don’t have to spend more than four seconds Googling before you land on some nugget of wisdom or another. Yet, at the same time, there’s so much available (some of which completely contradicts other advice you’ll find) that it can easily overwhelm you.

• Make yourself an obvious fit - The first human that review your resume are often those of a lower level HR person or recruiter, who may or may not understand all of the nuances of that job for which you’re applying. Therefore make it obvious for both the computer and the human to quickly connect their “Here’s what we’re looking for” to you.

• Don't limit yourself to online applications - Start finding and then endearing yourself to people working at that company of interest.

• Your CV (and LinkedIn profile) are not a tattoo - if they don’t position you as a direct match for a particular role that you’re gunning for, don’t be afraid to modify wording, switch around key terms, and swap bullet points in and out. Treat them as living, breathing documents throughout your job search (and career).

• You will never bore anyone into hiring -Don’t get me wrong—you absolutely must come across as polished, articulate, and professional throughout your job search. However, you still have a personality let it show.

• If you don't have LinkedIn, you don't exist - Considering that more than 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn as their primary search tool, this is not an understatement.