Like many of you, I am eager to put 2012 in my past. It wasn’t the greatest year for me. I lost my dad in March and 6 weeks later, my son announced he was moving 1500 miles away. Then my father-in-law and aunt died in July. I am looking forward to 2013. I feel so many good things waiting for me there.
The New Year 2013 has potential and opportunity. It is a new year to accomplish new things like land that new job. You have some time in the next couple of days to get ready. And like the New Year, it’s time to think about new twists on job search strategies. That means thinking outside the 2012 box.
- Get your resume ready. You know each resume you send out should be tailored to the job but is your resume up-to-date? Some of the latest trends are video resumes, presentation resumes, and Infographic resumes. Format your resume to be read on a smart phone. Many people read their email outside of their homes and offices while on the go. If your resume is easily read on this platform, it has a better chance of being read.
- Follow up with the people you met this holiday season. The people you met need to be contacted and a meeting set up. Start with an email reminding them who you are, where and how you met. Be pleasantly persistent and not a stalker will bring you success. If you can’t connect after a few tries, move on to someone else.
- Practice your interview skills using video and Skype. Today more companies are taking advantage of these means to include more employees from other locations in the interview process. If you think a face to face interview is stressful, there is something even more stressful about video and Skype interviews.
- Social media consists of LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Concentrate your efforts using these outlets. Update your profiles and keep up with the changes that appear often. Include a photo on LinkedIn profile; endorse and recommend others and they will return the favor; keep the information current and accurate. Set your privacy settings, so that employers cannot access personal information. However, keep digital dirt from destroying your chances at employment. Tweet once or twice a day to share your skills, knowledge and opinions. Follow your target companies and people who can provide you with the information you need to be in the right place at the right time.
- Combine your resume, leave behinds, social media profiles, portfolio, and any other information you want recruiters to know about you on the new “nameplate” sites. There are several to choose from each with similar and individualized features.
The above are your usual strategies but have been updated for the New Year to reflect the changing way we live, work and play. It only makes sense that job searching advance. By keeping up with the changes, you show you and your skills are not out of date but are current and up to date.
Arleen Bradley is a certified career coach and certified job loss recovery coach. She assists clients in moving beyond job loss grief in order to land dream jobs. To learn more about the Job Loss Recovery Program and how you can benefit from it, log on to https://arleenbradley.com.
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Photo credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net Stuart Miles
