These are hard times right now, the unemployment rate is the highest it has ever been since the depression era at 14.7%, according to the Washington Post. With so many people out of work, the job market will be saturated with candidates and companies will have several applications for open jobs. So, what can you do to get ahead of the others?! Here are some of the best ways to get your resume in front of the hiring manager and to secure a new job.
Use your network: According to TopResume.com, 60% of jobs are found through friends, family, former co-workers, and even people you may not know but reach out to for help! LinkedIn is the best way to utilize your network to establish valuable connections with prospective clients and colleagues. It’s best to connect with as many people as possible so you can use their 2nd connections as well.
Recruiters: 77% of Recruiters find potential candidates for open roles by reaching out to professionals via LinkedIn. Usually, recruiters and the companies they work for have direct exposure to the hiring manager. They will be able to sell your background and tell the company why you’re a good fit. Additionally, by using a Recruiter, you get your information sent to the Application Tracking System (ATS) that the company uses. These systems collect, sort, scan, and rank the resumes just based on the words in your resume and the job description, so even if you are a good fit you may be overlooked based on a simple software matching system.
Be patient in the search. The average time it takes to find a job is around five months. Make sure it’s the right role for you, do your research on the company, and ask questions during the process!
Resources:
View our LinkedIn, here.
