Let’s face it, while the world has slowed down to a near halt during the pandemic, it’s easy to mimic by stopping your job hunt and hoping for unemployment checks to continue coming. But that’s not realistic. We need to change our mindset and focus on the goal of being job-ready. There are plenty of open positions that we at HIRE Strategies are waiting to fill. The pipeline has dried up and we need to talent to fill these jobs.
So, we’ve put together strategies to help you put your best foot forward so employers offer you an opportunity to begin a new adventure.
Resume Building
According to LinkedIn, a recruiter will scan a resume in six seconds or less. Here are some tips to shore up your resume.
- Show your skills, don’t just tell them. Instead of calling yourself an innovative self-starter, share the details about how you started your own business.
- Write out your skills at the top of your resume so recruiters can scan quickly.
- Make sure your resume and your LinkedIn account align.
- Keep your resume appealing to the eye. Your margins should never be smaller than 0.8 inches and your font should always be 11 or greater.
- Less is more. Only include the jobs and skill sets that you have mastered and would benefit the job you are applying for.
*These tips are credited to LinkedIn and can be found in the article https://bit.ly/2UWwLSm
The Importance of LinkedIn
In these volatile times in the job market you need to achieve LinkedIn All–Star status on its platform. Here are how to reach it in seven steps.
- Make sure your profile picture is current and shows you in a relaxed and professional manner. Along with this, your headline should display more than your company name and title, it should also represent you.
- For your experience, you should have your current position and two prior positions. Use this section to build your story and list the value you provided.
- You must have five skills listed to achieve All-Star status.
- For your summary, keep it relaxed and professional. Describe and emphasize rather than using confusing language.
- Add your industry and location.
- Add your education to connect with more people!
- You need at least 50 connections to achieve All-Star status.
*These tips are credited to LinkedIn and can be found in the article https://bit.ly/2Vh4gOp
Interview Prep
If you’re in the market for a new job and you land an interview, how are you prepping for it?
Check out this terrific resource LinkedIn provides to get you ready with 26 video tips for common interview questions. https://bit.ly/3a7xvZo
Job Offer Negotiations
- See this valuable insight from Harvard Business Review about job offer negotiations. https://bit.ly/2XD0IbN
- Once you get the job offer, how should you negotiate?
- Don’t underestimate the importance of likeability. Once a potential employer likes you, they are going to fight for you.
- Be sure to ask for what you want without coming off greedy to ensure your likeability does not decrease.
- Explain why you deserve what you’re asking for. State why what you’re asking for is justified.
- Make it clear that you are interested in working for this employer.
- Understand the person you are asking for these things from. What are their interests or concerns?
- Figure out where they are flexible and where they are not. Some restrictions may not allow for certain requests to be fulfilled.
- Always be prepared for the tough questions and try to answer with the truth.
- Focus on the intent of the questions being asked to you.
- Consider the whole deal, not just the salary. Location, travel, hours, and so forth can influence your job satisfaction.
- Negotiate several things at once, not just one at a time.
- Don’t haggle over every single thing.
- If you want to consider multiple job offers, make sure those offers arrive close together.
- Avoid giving ultimatums!
- A delay in getting an offer does not mean that the employer does not like you.
- Just because something is unable to be negotiated one day does not mean it is completely off the table.
- Your overall satisfaction is about the job, not the negotiation.
*These tips are credited to Harvard Business Review and can be found in the article https://bit.ly/2XD0IbN with more information.
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HIRE Strategies Job Readiness Ebook
