Whether you are actively searching for your next role or passively looking by listening to market chatter, it’s important that you be fully prepared just in case the right opportunity comes along.
Every good process includes a solid checklist of tasks. There are a few straightforward job search steps that everyone should take.
Clean Up your Social Media
Many hiring managers will do a quick search on candidates to see what appears online. Make sure that you aren’t leaving the wrong impression, even on your social media accounts. Lock down your security settings so that your social media account activity isn’t generally public. You should want only those intimately connected to you to be able to see your personal posts. Ensure that your profile picture, which will often show up in a public search, projects a positive and appropriate image of you. Use your public LinkedIn and Facebook posts to display your professional interests and subject-matter expertise. And if you’ve gotten yourself into a Twitter spat, now is the time to start deleting those tweets.
Ensure Your Voicemail is Active and Available
It’s uncommon for you to be available 100% of the time to answer incoming calls. Make sure that you have properly activated your voicemail, created a professional and intelligible greeting, and maintain sufficient space in your voicemail box for callers to leave you a detailed message. A good, simple script to follow is, “Thank you for calling (name or phone number). I’m unable to take your call at this time. Please leave a message, and I’ll return your call as soon as I am able.” When they do leave a message, call back as soon as you are able to. A good rule of thumb is to return calls within one business day, to demonstrate your attentiveness and professionalism.
Use a Professional Email Address
Email serves as an easy means to communicate at your convenience, and also creates an additional data point surrounding your profile. Many search engines and social media accounts provide individual email addresses free of charge. Gmail, from Google, is a popular service, as are Yahoo and Outlook; there are many to choose from. If possible, get an email address that includes your first and last name; many people use a period in between their first and last names (First.M.Last@gmail.com). If you have a common name, you may have to include a middle initial or add a number; if this is the case, be careful not to use your birth date or other sensitive information that would help a would-be hacker from attacking your account. Lastly, don’t use an email address that is too cute. While you may be the biggest Cowboys fan on the planet, CowboysFan1234 isn’t the most professional-looking email address.
Create or Brush up your Resume
While not all jobs require you to have a resume, it never hurts to have a good one at the ready. There is nothing worse than having to do one at the last minute; you’ll rarely do yourself justice when you’re rushed. Recognize that your resume is intended to be a marketing document. Focus on describing key accomplishments rather than simply listing daily responsibilities. Add context — sizes of teams, budgets, dollar or time impacts, and other relevant points — or describe changes you’ve instituted, whenever that may be helpful. Develop an eye-pleasing document that enables easy scanning by a first-time reader to find the most salient points of your candidacy. Many employers use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to collect and evaluate early information from candidates; be sure to include keywords in your resume content and to format your resume properly for an ATS.
Talk to your References
Create a list of people who know you personally or professionally who are willing to say a very good word about you to future employers. Track their current contact information; have their names, titles, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses and relevant dates of interaction with you written down, so that you can find or deliver the information quickly when asked. It’s common courtesy to let a reference know when you have given their information to a prospective employer, to identify the role you are applying for, and when they may be contacted by the employer. It’s also helpful if you’ve already established with your references any key points that you’d like them to emphasize when they actually speak with the potential employer.
When the right opportunity in your dream job comes along, you want your candidacy to be taken seriously and your profile to be entirely credible. A little bit of work done upfront will save you a lot of consternation later.
If your goal is to find a new role in 2021, don’t hesitate to contact us at Scout HQ! We can help you create a plan, define a realistic scope, establish your market value, set appropriate targets, and connect you to the right individuals and organizations.