7 Ways to Get Recruiters and Job Offers to Come to You Instead of looking for jobs, let jobs come to you.

Did you know that you don't have to spend hour upon hour trying to find a job, and that you can do things that will have potential employers approaching you instead? Yes, this is a reality for many people, but it isn't something that just happens. You have to work at it, and you need to market yourself in a way that is going to make you very desirable to potential employers. Today we are going to take a look at seven ways to get recruiters and job offers to come to you, instead of the other way around.

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(By Jane Hurst)

Start networking

It is true that a lot of people aren't hired because they filled out a job application or sent in a resume. They are hired because they have connections, people that they network with who are able to help them in their career search. Now is the time to get out there and network with everyone you know, from friends and family to former coworkers, employers, professors, etc. The more networking you can do, the better off you will be in the long run. Let everyone in your network know that you are looking for a job, and make sure that they are well aware of your education, skills and experience. If they think you are a fit for a certain job, they won't hesitate to recommend you.

Build your brand online

"You are your own brand, and you need to build that brand and promote it as much as possible. It is important that you start building your brand online, because this is where employers are going to be looking for potential employees," suggests Dima Midon, an expert from TrafficBox. Use all of the online tools at your disposal, particularly LinkedIn, which is a professional network that allows you to really promote yourself as a professional, and someone who is an expert in your field. This is a great tool for job seekers. Make sure that you keep your profile up to date, especially when it comes to contact information, so when an employer searches you, they will be able to contact you if they are interested in learning more.

Create a professional website

Let's say that you have already applied for a job that you really want. The employer is going to want to learn as much about you as possible, and they are usually quite impressed when they see that candidates have their own professional websites. Your website is basically an extension of your resume, where you have the opportunity to really expand on your education, skills, experience and knowledge. You can include samples of your past work, your portfolio, contact information and a lot more. Make sure that your resume is up to date and included as its own separate section of your website, and also include your LinkedIn profile. Consider trying a platform like Squarespeace to get started!

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Keep on applying for jobs

Even if you are waiting for employers to start seeking you out, don't stop applying for other jobs while you are waiting. After all, you could end up waiting for a long time, and you don't want to be out of work and not able to pay your bills just because you are waiting for the perfect job to come along. Remember, most people who apply for jobs are rejected at least 15 times before they actually receive an offer of employment. Figure out what you have done wrong at the other interviews, and keep on applying until you get it right, and get the job offer you really want. The only real problem this is going to cause is that you could end up with several job offers, and have to decide which one you are the most interested in.

Dress for the job

You may not have the job yet, but you should always be dressed as if you do. If you are interested in a certain type of profession, you should dress for that profession on a regular basis. Don't run to the store looking sloppy. This could be just the time when you end up running into someone in your network, a potential employer, etc., and they are not going to see you at your absolute best. Another bonus to dressing for success is that the better you look, the better and more confident you are going to feel. It is particularly important to dress for the role when you are meeting employers for interviews, applying for jobs, etc. You need to look the part for every type of job you are interested in.

Don’t badmouth former employers

The last thing a potential employer wants is an employee who badmouths their former employers. For one thing, no one likes to have someone around who is constantly complaining about something. You need to have a positive outlook, and as the saying goes, if you don't have anything nice to say about someone, don't say anything at all. One of the most common job interview mistakes that many people make is saying bad things about their former employers. Yes, you do have to be honest about why you are no longer employed by the company, but you need to find ways to put a positive spin on things.

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Let recruiters know you are open

Let's get back to LinkedIn. It isn't just enough to have a LinkedIn profile. You need to let recruiters that you are "open." There are several ways that you can do this, including having your phone number and email address in the summary section (many recruiters don't bother going any further than the summary, so you need to give them what they are looking for). Make sure your profile has a professional headshot photo. If you have a silly photo, or none at all, it is going to make potential employers think that you are not going to be professional and take your job seriously. Also, make sure that your profile is "on" so they know you are available.