CEO & Founder of Envijo, Emmy-Nominated Content Marketing Leader. 40 Under 40 Class of 2020 (Seattle).
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In a hot job market where so many opportunities exist, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle if your career journey or story doesn’t stand out. More than ever, we hear stories of people leaving their jobs for better benefits, flexible work environments and companies with values that align with their “why.” So while you might think that means it’s easy to land your dream role, think again. The reported increased demand for corporations to fill seats is coming at the same time that many prospective employees are looking to make the jump. It’s like a game of “whack-a-mole,” and in my experience, HR departments are trying to find people who will not only step into an open role but also stay there for a meaningful amount of time.
If you’re looking to transition to a new organization, the good news for you is that there are a number of readily available tools you can leverage at no cost (other than your time) in order to put your best foot forward. I’ve put together the following tips to help you be more strategic so you can take control of your career.
1. Keep Your Resume Updated And Tweak It Based On Your Role
An up-to-date resume and CV is a must-have, no matter what LinkedIn influencers may tell you. This is table stakes, and you don’t want to be caught off guard after finding a great role and then having to quickly pull a resume together at the last minute. A rushed resume will result in typos, and you might miss out on including some great insights from your career that you may overlook in your quest to get it out the door quickly. Instead, I recommend you always keep an up-to-date resume and tailor it specifically to the roles you’re applying for. Look for the keywords in the job description and align your resume accordingly. This allows you to get picked up in their resume tracking software and should also stand out to the recruiters in charge of combing through hundreds of resumes.
2. Create A Folder Titled ‘Accomplishments’ And Use It To Find References Or Update Your Resume
Being humble is not the best way to stand out in a crowded job market. While it’s a great trait to have, leave your modesty for the in-person interviews and make sure to highlight all the great things that make you the best candidate for the job. I’ve found that having a folder in your email inbox titled “Accomplishments” or “Kudos” is a great way to keep track of all the milestones, shout-out emails and awards you may attain during your current role. It’s much easier to open that folder when the time comes than trying to remember all your career highlights or worse: searching through thousands of emails to do so.
3. Connect With Recruiters At The Companies You’re Looking To Work At
Search the companies you admire and the words “recruiter” or “talent acquisition” and send those people a personalized invitation that introduces you to them and explains why you want to connect. This isn’t the time for a hard sell; just be polite and courteous of their time and see if they are willing to add you to their network. This is a very important step. In the next step, you’ll see that it will give you the opportunity to speak and sell yourself without having to do so in the first introduction. I call this “not proposing on the first date.”
4. Tell (Show) Your Story On LinkedIn
Don’t just wait for recruiters to find you or just apply for jobs online and cross your fingers. Instead, broadcast your message and tell your story via video or a series of posts on LinkedIn consistently. Show your audience who you are and what value you can bring to an organization. If you’ve followed step No. 3, that means the recruiters who are now part of your network will start seeing your content as if you’re speaking directly to them without being overtly sales-y and spamming their already flooded messages. This can be difficult when you’re currently in a role you’re trying to leave, but you can be subtle about it by making sure your LinkedIn summary reflects your goals and aspirations while your content can be tailored to inspire and capture the attention of recruiters in the field you’re looking to break into. Make sure you leverage trending hashtags on the platform and engage with everyone who leaves you a comment.
I hope you’ve found these tips helpful, but remember, you’re the architect of your career. Your dream roles are likely within reach; you just need to be strategic and consistent in your approach. Best of luck, and get after it.
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