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Your Job Search: How to Get Hired

With more and more report of company layoffs and closings, the job market has become a lot more competitive than it once was. If you are entering the job seeker world for the first time or the first time in awhile, you may be a bit unsure of how to proceed in order to get the job you want. Here’s some helpful tips on preparing for and looking at your job search.

Search Wide- One of the first rules of approaching the present job market is to conduct an ongoing and wide search for jobs. Jobs are listed in search engines, job sites, and through the word of a close friend. There are jobs out there; you just have to be willing to look harder to find them. Beyond jobs that are listed in any of the resources you use to conduct your job search, you should also contact businesses that you are interested in and inquire if they have any openings. By doing this, you can be one of the first to apply for and possibly get the job.

Network- Drawing upon your network of family, friends, and past co-workers will help to give your search for the perfect job a much wider reach. Instead of just looking on your own, get your network involved and                                                                  possibly even use them as professional references.

                                                                 Dress and Act Appropriately- Absolutely crucial to doing well at an                                                                  interview and getting hired starts with dressing professionally and                                                                  acting in a positive, enthusiastic manner. All employers want the                                                                  same thing-no matter the industry or position that you are applying                                                                  for-they want employees who take their position seriously, act                                                                  professionally, and are enthusiastic about their part in the company.

                                                                 Be Prepared- Just as important to getting hired as dressing                                                                  appropriately is being prepared for the interview itself. Do some                                                                  research online as to the best answers for common interview                                                                  questions, revise your portfolio to make sure you have your best                                                                  work, and know what to say about your goals. Having all of the right                                                                  answers to the questions and being prepared with the right                                                                  materials will give your potential employer no reason not to hire you                                                                  for the position you are applying for.

                                                                 Be On Time- One of number one ways to make a bad impression for a                                                                  potential job and not get hired is to show up late. There is no grace period of 5-10 minutes that employers allow. If you are late, you are late and this does not speak well of how you would treat the actual position if you were to be hired.

Listen- Though your first instinct when asked any questions on an important interview may be to tell them all you can about everything you have ever done or achieved, remember to make answers fairly concise and do not ramble. Instead, make your points and then listen. Listening shows respect and interest in learning all that there is to learn about the company you’re applying to.

Ask Questions- Lastly, make sure you ask questions when they ask you if you have any questions. This is the time when you should have a list of important general and specific questions ready-regarding the goals and mission of the company. Make sure not to ask about salary questions as it shows you are most interested in the money instead of the opportunity it could give your career. Do some research because the questions that you ask show a lot about what kind of employee you are to them. Moreover, asking questions show that you have confidence and value in your candidacy.