Everyone offers advice when you are casually looking, or aggressively hunting, for a new job. Recruiters spend a lot of time with candidates, so we talked with the best. We’ve compiled 5 of the best tips we heard that can make a difference to your sanity while job hunting.
- Talk to people. Break out your rolodex, connect with online peeps, find school friends on Facebook, tweet some Instagram buddies, and see if they can assist you. It won’t matter the person, as long as you have a genuine connection and they will champion you. If you are genuine in your approach and ask for their insight and support, they will most likely be responsive and put you in touch with other contacts or colleagues. People like to help. Just remember to show interest in them too—don’t make it one-sided.
- Be creative. The adage is true: the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result. Do your research before you start applying online. Find unique lists of good companies to work for, call them up, and ask to speak to HR. Find a good recruitment firm that specializes in your area of work—most likely, they will offer multiple opportunities, from an online job board, temporary work, and/or full service placement. The point is, do your research.
- Go to meet-up groups, lots of them. Go to work related, artistic, or just plain fun events. It doesn’t matter, as long as you are out and networking. People attend these events because they want to meet others, and therefore, are typically sociable and helpful. There’s nothing wrong with getting their names and visiting them on LinkedIn afterwards.
- Be relentless and never give up. Winston Churchill said, “For myself I am an optimist—it does not seem to be much use being anything else.” Enough said.
- Take breaks. Why do you think Google has all those break areas and free food? It’s to give people the chance to step away from the grind, have a welcome distraction and think more clearly. Avoid spending hours doing the same thing and constantly looking at job advertisements. Do something completely different occasionally; ideally something fun like a favorite hobby, or some exercise to get the blood pumping and endorphins flowing.