Simple Ways to Boost Your Job Search Efficiency Are you getting the results you want from the time and energy you put into your job search?
By Alex Freund
This story originally appeared on Personal Branding Blog
Most, if not all, job seekers reach a heightened level of frustration at some point during their job search. It's easy to understand, and it might be justifiable to blame the complex and convoluted job search process; it's difficult to improve efficiency and speed in the whole process too. Loosely explained, efficiency is output over input and is expressed in percentages. The question before job seekers is whether they're getting the expected results based on the amount of time and effort they're putting into their job searches. In most cases, the answer is disappointing. So, what should you do to increase efficiency?
Related: Tips for Finding a Job in the Hidden Job Market
In the world of investments, the most important factor for success is to know the right asset class allocation. Translated into the domain of a job search, it means knowing how to determine the amounts of time and energy to devote to various job search activities.
Networking
Networking with people is by far the most effective job search activity. Sixty to 80 percent of people land their jobs through networking, and therefore, that's what job seekers should spend their time on. For many, networking is difficult and uncomfortable. And for those who don't know how to be effective at it, networking represents a frustrating task with little results. For others, networking is second nature, and getting leads and referrals is merely a continuation of what they've been practicing their entire life -- and not only when they need a job.
Related: Best Tips for Increasing Your Networking Effectiveness
Applying for jobs online
Online job applications are also an important aspect of the job search. Certainly, one cannot expect to win the lottery without buying a ticket. In the same way, one needs to apply for a job in order to be considered for it. On one hand, online job boards such as Monster and CareerBuilder sound appealing. On the other hand, sending off endless numbers of resumes into the black hole of applications can be a great way to boost your frustration level and waste your time. A better way is to search within SimplyHired or Indeed by using specific keywords you're interested in and job locations you're open to. The best tool is LinkedIn, where you can see exactly who posted a job and whom you might know at that company. Thus you can be much more strategic about your application.
Additional advice for increasing your efficiency and your success rate
1. Be specific in your resume. Applicant tracking software is looking for specific keywords.
2. Customize your resume to the specific job you're applying for. Recast your resume to specifically show how your subject matter expertise solves the hiring manager's problems.
3. Use as much as possible the target company's own language. In other words, your actual words must match a lot of the words in the employer's job description. Cut and paste the employer's language from the job description to use in your resume.
Related: 9 Things to Consider Before Accepting a New Job
4. Make your resume perfect. Hiring managers have no patience for less-than-perfect resumes because there are thousands of other applicants they can look at who submit perfect resumes. Grammar and spelling count. Fonts, formatting and lined-up tabs and columns count. Regarding that formatting issue, a better practice is to unformat the resume, reset everything flush left and use no special symbols or software-specific indentions -- instead opting for simple hyphens and word spaces to set off your displayed lists of accomplishments in your job history.
