Job hunting can be such a pain. It doesn’t seem to matter if you’re looking for a little something part-time, if you’re fresh out of high school or college and needing to join the work force to make a living, or if you’re older and coming back to the job force after a long break/hiatus. Job searching is a pain for everyone; it doesn’t discriminate. Finding jobs in your area that are well-suited to your skill set, but also flexible for your schedule, offers good pay and benefits…well, finding something that hits all those points is difficult, to say the least.
Photo Credit: Mentatdgt
However, there are ways to find great jobs, if you have the patience and the motivation to look for them. The first thing you want to do when on the hunt for a great job is to get online. The newspapers and want ads are great, but online is where you’ll find the most extensive job listings, especially in niche areas or specific industries. There are general job sites that have various types of industries and fields, as well as websites that are geared especially towards one particular type of career, such as legal careers, healthcare careers, education careers, and so on.
No matter the type of job you’re looking for, you can plenty of openings online. Sites like Practice Match for healthcare, upWork for freelance writing jobs, and many other sites have extensive listings from reputable, vetted companies that want to offer you a career.
One easy tip is to keep a tally of the jobs you apply for, because many sites will have multiple job listings for the same job and it’s easy to get confused. You don’t want to accidentally apply for the same job twice. Keep a detailed spreadsheet or just a sheet of paper nearby to keep track. Always have an updated copy of your resume and cover letter saved in an easily accessed folder, because almost all job sites will ask you for this. Take the time to customize your letter and answer questions in detail (be concise, but don’t be clipped or hurried; employers can tell when you’re rushing through). It can make all the difference in getting you that job.
Avoid scams by being wary of any company that directs you to multiple websites, that ask for personal information that isn’t relevant, asks for money upfront for various costs, that have pay and benefits packages that seem too good to be true, and that don’t have available contact information or websites.
Online job sites can be frustrating because there’s no “in person” contact unless you’re offered a future interview. You have no way of knowing if you’re being considered or not, and that’s frustrating. The best advice is to simply keep trying, searching the job listings every day, via website and app, and even set up notifications or alerts on your phone for when new listings crop up. Keeping on top of jobs as they’re offered is a surefire way to get hired!
Bonus Tip – Keep Upskilling Yourself!
Sometimes you’ll get lucky and find a great job really quickly. Most of the time, however, you’re going to need to do a bit of searching (and interviewing) before you find your perfect match. Use that time to keep upskilling yourself. Firstly, the more skills you have, the more chance you have of being seen as a high-quality candidate. Secondly, upskilling yourself shows you have the sort of attitude most employers want.
Keep on upskilling yourself when you are in a job. You never know when an opportunity might arise so be ready for it. These days, you can take all sorts of courses from the comfort of your own home. You can even get qualifications at prestigious institutions like Victoria University online. Combining academic study with real-world experience can really help your progress at work.