If you’re like me, you only update your resume when you have to update your resume.
That doesn’t make job searching any easier, especially considering updating your resume is just one thing you need to do when you start searching for a new job.
Today I have a “job searching check list” of things you should start doing once you have decided it’s time to look for a new job. Hopefully it leaves you with some actionable items to get your job search started on the right foot.
Update your Resume
Updating your resume should be the very first step you should take when you are considering applying to jobs. Ideally you would have updated your resume regularly instead of only when you are looking for a job, but most people put it off.
I recently had a VP of human resources look over my resume and they suggested that I make my resume two full pages. Two pages should be enough to list your recent work experience, education, volunteer and organization involvement, as well as applicable skills.
Update your LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn can be really useful for some careers and not quite as useful for others. Regardless of how important it is in your specific career field, consider setting one up if you don’t have one and updating one if you do.
Sally wrote some great posts on Young Adult Money about LinkedIn including Getting Started On LinkedIn Part 1, Getting Started On LinkedIn Part 2, and finally for those who already have a LinkedIn, Let’s Improve Your LinkedIn Profile
Read up on how to write a Cover Letter
Writing cover letters can be a very time-consuming activity. First of all, it’s something you never do unless you are applying to jobs. This makes it an unfamiliar practice. Second of all
When I had to write cover letters recently I didn’t know where to start. Being the millennial that I am, I simply Googled “how to write a cover letter.” This actually worked pretty well and helped me find a starting point.
To save you some time, here are three resources that explain how to write a cover letter: wikiHow, Harvard Business Review, and Forbes.
While there may be some similarities between each cover letter you write, remember that each one should be custom-tailored to the job you are applying to.
Check Job Boards Daily
I recommend that everyone check job boards regularly, not just job searchers. Being aware of what jobs are available, how much they pay, and what skills are in demand is invaluable information.
If you are currently looking for jobs you need to set aside time each day to search open jobs. This should become a regular part of your day.
If you are currently employed you should first look at internal job postings. Moving to another job within the same company is much easier than moving to another company. Typically your manager is much more understanding and may even help/encourage you to apply to jobs within the company. Jobs that are posted internally might be only posted internally. This gives you a leg up on outsiders who don’t have access to the same job recs.
Looking at external job boards can be very beneficial as well. Job boards aggregate jobs from a variety of employers, so you will see a variety of opportunities. Check out Beyond.com or Monster.com to view job openings. Remember, sometimes landing a job is a numbers game. The more jobs you apply to, the more interviews you will get. The more interviews you get, the more likely you are to get an offer – or multiple offers.
Tap your Network
Never underestimate the power of your network. When I was in college I ended up meeting a director of mergers and acquisitions – who just so happens to have worked with the head of college recruiting – through church. I was a volunteer in the youth department. Like I said, never underestimate your network or who they might lead you to.
There is also value in regularly checking in with people in your professional network. I have a friend in another area of the company I work at. I made an off-hand remark that I was considering looking for a new job since the time was right for me to move up to the next level at our company. He just so happened to know a director who was hiring for the exact role I was seeking. I was interviewing the very next week with the director, all from a casual conversation.
The bottom line is use your network when job searching. You never know who knows who, or who can help you get in touch with the right people.
Keep track of the jobs you applied to
If you are in job search mode you likely will apply to quite a few jobs in a relatively short amount of time. It’s important to keep track of all those jobs you applied to so that when you get called in for an interview you know exactly which job it is. It’s easier to get mixed up than you think.
While Sally shared her method for keeping the jobs she applied to organized, I would personally encourage you to store everything in a spreadsheet. On one tab you should have a list of all the jobs you applied to including position, company, date applied, and any notes about the position (i.e. talked to recruiter, referred by a friend, name of hiring manager, etc.).
You should also create a tab for each job and copy/paste the job description. Sometimes companies take down the job description when they start interviewing candidates. You’ll want to have a copy of it to reference before an interview, so create your own copy as soon as you apply.
Prepare for Interview Questions
It’s natural to have some nerves going into an interview, but if you prepare properly you can alleviate some of that stress. While there is always the chance of unexpected questions coming up in an interview, there are many questions that can be anticipated. Some common questions are:
- Why are you looking to leave your current job/employer?
- What excites you about this job?
- What are your 3 biggest strengths?
- What is your biggest weakness or area that needs improvement?
- Walk me through your resume (tip: be able to do this WITHOUT looking at your resume).
- Give me an example of a challenging situation you had to work through.
- What are some of your greatest accomplishments in your current role?
- Tell me about a situation where you had to work under pressure.
- What do you do if you disagree with someone at work?
These are just some questions that are likely to come up in your interview. Besides just preparing for specific questions, think about specific accomplishments and examples that you can use for a variety of questions.
Figure out Dress Clothes for your Interview
When you go to an interview you want to feel confident. Having great clothes can help with that. Yes, this is an excuse to go shopping!
Guys should consider having at least one tailored suit with a tailored shirt to go with it. Getting your clothes tailored will give you a perfect fit, and in turn, confidence.
The worst time to look for interview clothes is the night before, or even a couple nights before. It’s best to have a good outfit or two ready to go weeks, if not months, in advance of interviews.
Are you job searching or have you searched for a new job recently? What additional tips do you have for someone preparing for job searching and interviews?
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David,
After the interview ask for your interviewer’s business cards and send a thank you email within 24 hours to everyone who’s in the room. Leaves a favorable impression and could give you an edge if it’s close between candidates.
Pretty thorough list, but I would add some words for the currently employed. 1. Continue to do top-notch work, so as not to burn any bridges 2. Don’t job search on company time or using company resources. You could get caught and be fired 3. Do not make your search public. Beware of posting resumes to job boards that your company’s HR team might check for new recruits.
Last week, my husband just updated his resume because he was planning to apply to another company. And he just had his interview earlier and luckily, the company called her because he got the job!
Charles@gettingarichlife Great point, Charles. Definitely something I did after various interviews I had recently.
indebtedmom Great points, and it’s always good to take a conservative approach. I also think it’s different if you are interviewing internally versus externally. I would hope most managers/directors would understand, though, if employees were looking to move on or up.
Clarisse @ Make Money Your Way Congrats to your husband! That is great news!
these are all really solid tips DC. I actually think church is an awesome place to network too btw. There are several business and restaurant owners at the church we attend. Makes it a really interesting group.
I really like your tip about tapping into your network. My dad also works for my current employer (completely different department though). I told him I was considering my current position. He was able to give me some good direction as well as some good insight as to what that department might be like.
Great tips DC! Hopefully this will be something I don’t have to do again, but you never know. :) I would also add along with the interview question section to research the company some and come up with a few questions directly related to them and what they do. That can go a good way to show that you’re actually interested in them and the position.
These are great tips DC!!! I think the biggest is not only the updated resume and the updated LinkedIn, but to make sure that they match up. I have heard of number of recruiters say that if they see any discrepancies between the two, they will instantly discount the candidate because they will feel as though they are lying or hiding something from one of those sources. I also think it is really important to be prepared for your interview and to do as much research on the company and people who are interviewing you as much as possible. Some of my best interviews were when I had the most information on the person I was interviewing with. Everyone loves to hear the sound of their own voice and talk about themselves so the more you can encourage it, the more favorable your interview.
I am all about staying on top of your resume and your profiles. I also think the networking is such a great tool where most people fall flat. I have scored all my jobs with my network!
I think whether you are a freelancer or full time it’s important to stay up to date with those things because you never know, and if your skills get rusty it’s hard to get back in the game. I personally think your resume should only be one page though. I’m surprised they said that because I thought most experts agree with one page. Writing cover letters is so hard and time consuming. I almost think that is most important because its the first thing recruiters see!
I admit that I am terrible at all of this. I would be in rough shape if I ever had to look for a job again. I have never updated my LinkedIn profile to include much of anything, and my resume is terribly out-of-date!
Those interview questions just made my stomach turn. I haven’t had to do that since my residency interview. I hope I don’t have to do something like that again. With all the places I work now, I didn’t interview at all so I would be terribly rusty if I had to do it again.
This is a great post for those searching for a job! I really need to update my resume. I was applying for a staff writing position the other day, and they asked for a professional resume and I honestly haven’t updated it since I left my day job.
I think I am the only person who does not use LinkedIn in my profession! I just haven’t found it useful in the past, so I nixed it. I do (or have done) everything else though!
I hope I never need these tips, but thanks for sharing them. I think the biggest thing is to update your LinkedIn profile. I recently had a client tell me they couldn’t find me there…that’s only because I wasn’t there! Anyway, if clients are looking for it, I’d imagine managers will be too! I’ve got an updated LinkedIn page now!
My fiancee applied for a new job and her interview was last week. We practiced most of the questions you mentioned over and over again and she said that they asked most of them. I think they all google “typical questions to ask on an interview” and I think we should do the same and practice. She won’t know what decision they will make for a week or so, but I hope all the practice pays off.
BudgetforMore Yeah I think a place like church brings in people from all walks of life and you never know who you might meet. That’s great that your Dad was able to give you some guidance.
FrugalRules Haha the one thing I can count on when I write an interview/career post is for you to come and say “hopefully this is something I don’t have to do again” ;) I agree that the more specific your questions are for the potential employer the better.
blonde_finance Good point about LinkedIn and resume lining up. My resume typically goes into a bit more detail than my LinkedIn, but nothing on my LinkedIn is hidden from my resume. Good point about preparing and knowing as much as you can – I definitely followed this step when I was interviewing recently.
DebtRoundUp I haven’t landed all my jobs through networking, but almost all of them. I think it’s important to not underestimate your network and leverage them as much as you can.
Beachbudget Most of my time spent actively applying to jobs was writing cover letters. You want them to be as good as possible and have no simple errors. I agree that a lot of freelancers do not think of potential client meet-ups as interviews, even though freelancers are probably interviewing WAY more than ‘regular’ 9-5ers.
Holly at ClubThrifty I think it’s tough for freelancers to find motivation to update their resume. I’m assuming most of your jobs are found through emailing and showing some of your prior work. I doubt many potential clients ask for your resume.
Eyesonthedollar After not interviewing for over three years, I definitely felt rusty when I first got back into it. Now, though, I could probably sit down right now without preparing and nail all those questions. Just like anything, practicing and consistency help.
SenseofCents While most freelancers don’t seem to “formally” interview, I think freelance employees actually interview/apply a LOT more than regular employees. It’s all about priorities, too. My resume, LinkedIn, etc. is all updated but I also had a huge incentive to have it updated (namely that I was actively applying).
theFinancegirl I think LinkedIn has a limited benefit. On the one hand recruiters might find you (I know they reach out to me quite a bit) and on the other hand you likely won’t find your next job through it.
Joshua Rodriguez I think that freelance employees, self-employed individuals, and small business owners looking for clients have to use a variation of these tips. I think even if you aren’t looking for a 9-5 you SHOULD be tapping your network and you SHOULD be able to answer basic questions that could come up. I even think having an updated resume is a no-brainer.
Aldo @ MDN Best of luck to your fiance and if she doesn’t get the job, I’m sure she will find the right job sooner rather than later. I agree with you about Google, I think many interviewers look up common interview questions and use a decent number of them in their actual interviews.
Those are some great tips. I know a lot of people have problems with their cover letters.
Jason @ The Butler Journal Cover letters are tricky. You only have to write them once every few years (assuming you don’t switch jobs more than once every few years) and they are less “standardized” than resumes, at least I would say they are.
Great checklist. I agree – we should all be updating our resumes regularly, whether or not we’re looking for something new. It just makes things easier for when that time to apply for new opportunities rolls around. As far as length, I keep hearing different things about whether your resume needs to be one or two pages. I think if it can fit on one, great! If not, don’t stress too much about having an extra page. Just don’t turn in a novel!