The new year is less than a week away and that means it’s time to re-engage your job search. While employers may not be hiring just yet, there are some simple steps you can take to be ready when employers come back from their holiday breaks.
Take Advantage of the Passive Job Search
When the job listings start getting posted in January and February you’ll have your chance to apply for the openings. In the meantime, you will want to make profiles on a number of job sites with your resume’s information.
One example of this type of account is on Indeed.com. In addition to searching for jobs on Indeed, you can also upload or create a resume that is tied to your e-mail address and profile. Having a resume already attached to your profile gives you a few advantages.
First, some employers take applications directly through Indeed. These employers usually have an orange “APPLY NOW” button on their job listings. To apply for these jobs, all you need to do is press the orange button, confirm the resume on your profile, and then you’re good to go.
You can also make the resume on your profile searchable by employers. This means that employers looking to actively search for applicants rather than take applications can find you without even having to apply! This makes proper keyword use on your resume especially important.
You can learn more in our article on how to use indeed in your job search.
Re-Engage Your References
It may have been awhile since you’ve last made contact with your list of references. Even if it’s only been since Thanksgiving, reach out to your references. It’s good to double-check and make sure your references haven’t changed numbers. It’s also a good idea just to check and make sure they’re still willing to answer the phone and say good things about you!
If you’re having a difficult time reaching references or need to find new ones, you can always e-mail or use snail mail to ask for permission to use someone as a reference.
You can find out how to ask for a reference by checking out our documents page here.
Clean Up Your Social Media
We all like to have fun and enjoy ourselves during the holidays. That being said, we can sometimes have a little too much fun. Some of you out there like to post this fun on social media, which hurts your chances as a job applicant. Take the time now to start scrubbing your social media accounts clean! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and whatever else is connected to your name and/or e-mail address.
Always make use of the privacy settings and set them appropriately. Remember that now more than ever, you are who you are online. There is less of a distinction between what people see on the internet and what they expect to show up for an interview. Give yourself the opportunity and make a good first impression online.
Practice Answering Interview Questions
If you’ve got your resume and cover letters nailed down, then it’s time to start practicing interview questions. Although there is what could be considered little change in interview questions over the years, we as employees are always learning new things and gaining new experiences. We have new stories to tell with each new job and position.
It’s also a good idea to practice just for the sake of practicing. Borrow a friend or jump in front of a mirror and practice talking in a clear and audible voice. Ask yourself questions and see what you can talk about your past experience on the fly. From there, give yourself notes on what you need to improve on.
For some practice questions to quiz yourself with, check out our documents page here. To get started with some more general advice on job interviews, check out our article on practicing for a job interview here.
It’s time to get busy with the job search so let’s tackle it together! Check back next week for more tips and help with your job search.