Best Job Tips for 2011

Searching for a job can be and usually is a dreadful and unpleasant experience.  From the stress of the initial interview to the patience (or lack thereof) of waiting to hear back from an organization, finding a job can be quite a pain.  Many times a person may feel that they have done everything possible and still have no success.  If you are one of those people, fret no more.  We have spoken with experts and insiders to determine the Best Job Search Tips for 2011.

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1.) Networking – With over half of all hiring coming through referrals, it is extremely important to network.  Use social media to your advantage.  Facebook and LinkedIn are two examples of social media sites that provide an easy and very effective way to network.

2.) Know your assets – Find out what your top 3 or 4 assets are that you can provide an organization.  Show the recruiter how skilled you are in those areas and how you can use those skills to help the organization.

3.) Identify companies that are a fit for you and job search efficiently – You want to try and find companies that line up with your goals and career aspirations as much as possible.  Different companies have their own unique culture.  Try and find out, possibly through networking, what a companies culture is and if you would be a good fit there.  Also, search efficiently.  If you are looking online there are numerous sites with job listings and countless listings.  Narrow down your search as much as possible and if the site allows it, try and set up for notifications when certain jobs are posted.

4.) Research the company – Find out as much as you possibly can about a company before you go interview.  Not only does this help you out with questions in the interview, but it also shows the recruiter that you are truly interested in the job and care enough to go through the trouble of researching the company.  Also, if you know who you may be interviewing with or possibly talking to, look them up on the internet.  Find out things they have possibly written, contributed on, or awards they have gotten and compliment them.  A little brown nosing shouldn’t hurt.

5.) Follow-up – Let’s be honest.  Most business professionals are busy, busy, busy. Don’t be content with submitting a resume online or in person and waiting around for a reply.  Be proactive.  Not only follow-up to make sure the resume was received, but also use it as a way to promote yourself even more.  The follow-up provides you with an opportunity to get some extra time promoting yourself while at the same time showing the recruiter that you want the job and care enough to check back.