4 Ways Job Searching Has Changed
Job searching has changed drastically in the last decade. Even if the last time you were on the hunt for a job was only several years ago, you need to acquaint yourself with how it differs today.
There are aspects of your resume and LinkedIn profile that date you if you don’t take steps to update your approach. This puts you in danger of rejection before you even manage to get an interview.
Resumes and CVs.
Career Summaries – If you still have an objective, get rid of it immediately! Employers typically care about what you can do for them over what your goals are. They spend little time reviewing resumes nowadays despite using applicant tracking software (ATS) to filter search results. Give them a specific summary of your top skills and achievements. Think about what you’ve done and where you’ve worked. In other words: what stands out the most and/or what are you recognized for as a professional?
Job Descriptions – In the past, you could simply list your duties for each position you held. This no longer works. Rather than stating your past, you need to take the employer’s viewpoint. What about your work would they be most interested in? Give them a visual picture of you at work by using specific examples and the end goal or results of your work.
Keywords – Keywords are typically nouns or phrases that you see repeatedly in a job posting, and/or can be found under qualifications or requirements. You may think it’s clear that you possess those skills, but you need to carefully cross-reference it with the posting. Have you used the exact words in your resume that apply to your background? Every time you apply to a job, perform this check.
Categories – In addition to a career summary, basic information such as your work history and education are still just as important. However, information like basic computer skills and writing “references available on request” date you pretty quickly. Unless these elements are specifically requested in a job posting, you don’t need them.
Gaps and Short Employment Periods – While these are no longer uncommon, be transparent. If it’s not apparent why there is a big gap in your work history, you should consider how to address it because an employer may move on due to sheer confusion. Their time is valuable, so make you worth their while. Give them the information. You don’t need to go into excruciatingly personal detail, but it’s a good idea to address layoffs if you’ve had a series of them and/or personal issues that have resulted in work gaps.
Connecting
Many years ago, the most common way of applying to jobs was by submitting a resume online. Now you should apply to postings and make meaningful connections with people. If you only take the former approach, you are probably missing out on opportunities. You need to do both. Networking isn’t for everyone, but luckily a lot of it can now be done online. Find people who are doing what you want to be doing and talk to them about what they do.
Employers and recruiters expect that you have a complete profile on LinkedIn, and it’s one of the first search results that will come up if someone Googles your name. A bare bones profile does not cut it. LinkedIn helps you establish a personal brand beyond your resume, and can include additional information that doesn’t belong or fit on a resume. In the About section, highlight your professional accomplishments and show a personal side – for example, why did you choose your career path? Get recommendations as these add credibility and can result in interviews.
Cover letters
Cover letters are not as common anymore, but are still used and can give you a leg up over those who do not write them simply because you took the time to do it (in a thoughtful way). Write less than one page and use bullets to offset the skills and value you offer. Instead of listing what you’ve done, summarize relevant examples from your work history. It should offer new information beyond your resume or go more in depth about what is in your resume.
Over the years and with the growth of technology, many things about job searching have changed. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to landing interviews and job offers.