Struggling to land a job? Try these 6 proven ways

Struggling to land a job? Try these 6 proven ways

💬 “I’ve been out of work for six months. I’ve had interviews, but no offers.”

💬 “I feel drained, unmotivated, and insecure. Constant applications and rejections are tough.”

Sound familiar?

Many people face this challenge right now. The Australian and NZ job market can be tough, but there are strategies you can employ to improve your chances. 

Here’s how I troubleshoot common job search issues (& how you can too):

→ Not Getting Enough Interviews?

1. Refresh Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile:

  • Update your resume and LinkedIn profile to ensure they reflect your latest achievements and skills.
  • Tailor your resume for each job application by incorporating keywords from the job postings.
  • Visit my website for detailed tips on optimizing your resume (here) and LinkedIn profile (here).

2. Consider a Career Coach:

  • A career coach can provide personalized advice and strategies to enhance your job search. Never worked with one? Check out this post (here) where I talk about the benefits, maybe it might be just what you need right now. 

→  Getting Interviews But Not Advancing?

1. Review Your Interview Responses:

  • Record yourself answering common interview questions. I wrote about how you can perform better during technical interviews (here), after speaking with top performers.
    •  A pro tip here is to Google (company name + title + interview questions). 
  • Review and improve your responses by focusing on clarity and relevance. Most common mistake people make is that their answers are to verbose and off topic. If you focus on this you'll likely improve your performance dramatically. 

2. Seek Feedback:

  •  If possible, ask for feedback from interviewers to understand where you can improve. My clients tell me that they usually don't get any feedback. Some companies really care about the candidate experience others less. I'd always email the recruiter / interviewer and say something along the lines of:

    💬 "If there is one thing I could have done better during this interview, what would that be interviewer? I'm eager to improve my performance and this feedback would be immensely valuable. I'm more than happy to jump on a 5 min call, if you are not able to provide this in writing." 

→  Haven’t Activated Your Network?

1.  Leverage Referrals (please):

  •  Reach out to ex-colleagues and friends for referrals. The amount of candidates I speak to who have friends and colleagues at the company they applied for is quite high. Why is this important? A referral has a higher perceived value to the company than a traditional applicant. This is one of the fastest way for you to land a job interview. 
    • Pro tip: Visit websites like Blind, Glassdoor employees look for referrals to get the referral bonus. Reach out to them. It's a win - win situation. 
    • Simply search (company + referral) and add a comment with a quick summary of your skills, perhaps a link to your resume and what you are looking for. Make it easy for the refer to see your value so they are motivated to share your details internally. 
  •  Use LinkedIn to find potential connections in your 1st and 2nd-degree network who might help you get a foot in the door.

2. Stay in Touch:

  • Maintain regular contact with your professional network. 
  • Don’t hesitate to ask for help or advice. 
  • Give back. Send a virtual kudos as a thank you. 

→ Feeling Desperate?

1. Focus on Achievements:

  • This one's tough. Desperation can seep into your interviews and affect your performance. Focus on your achievements and what you bring to the table. Confidence over desperation—let your skills and achievements speak. 

→ Customization is Key

1. Tailor Your Applications:

  • Always remember,  relevancy to the role increase your chances for interviews. Therefore, put more effort into customizing your applications. Tailor your applications.
  •  Emphasize your strengths and how they align with the job requirements.

The Harsh Truth

Some factors are beyond your control. Focus on what you can control and don’t hesitate to take a break if needed. A short break can recharge your motivation and help you approach your job search with renewed energy. The above guide has helped my clients land more interviews and job offers, even in this market. 

By focusing on these strategies, you can improve your chances of landing a job and overcome the fatigue of a prolonged job search. Remember, persistence and a positive attitude are key to navigating the job market successfully.

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