At Start Me Up, we offer advice on everything from nailing job interviews and applications, to upskilling.
Many of the successful people we interview from the world of tech say they applied for over a 100 jobs before they bagged their dream one.
The moral of the story? Securing your ideal job is not just a faff, or an effort but a sustained campaign of activity.
It’s not going to be quick and it’s not going to be easy. And it’s probably going to be the hardest thing you’ve ever done.
But, if you work in an organized way for a set period of time, you’re more likely to succeed and meet your career goals.
Be professional and active online
Keep your public profiles professional. Recruiters may well Google you and some use software to scan the web for your social media profiles.
You want them to see a consistent, professional presence with formal photos. Anything else should be protected with a password.
Use LinkedIn. This is a great platform for displaying your professional self, your achievements and your experience to potential employers.
LinkedIn is also great for spotting new job opportunities and connecting with employees of companies you’d like to work for.
Build a personal brand
Know what you have to offer, what makes you special, and why you’d be great in the industry.
Have a branding statement prepared for any opportunity that comes up. Briefly explain your skills, goals and experience.
You can use this across your social media, on your resume as a summary and as a quick pitch on your LinkedIn or in emails.
Research targets
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the company, what they offer and their goals. Clue up by visiting their websites and social media pages.
Research their recent projects and notable press activity. This could be anything from a product launch to a charity collaboration. You can ask questions based on this research to prove your interest in the company.
Figure out whether your values align with those of the company. This is important because you need to make sure you’ll blend in with the team and be the right fit for the company.
It helps if you’re willing to educate yourself in the industry too. This shows that you are committed and passionate about what you’ll be working on. Selling a product or service is easier if you understand the industry and its customers.
Networking is key
Attend events at companies you’re interested in working for. There’re often events targeted at employees seeking careers in certain industries. You can often find them on LinkedIn.
At every possible opportunity, meet new people and build awareness of your campaign. You can pitch to your friends who work for companies that are hiring. Using contacts is a great way to get your foot in the door.
Connect with people on LinkedIn. Connect with everyone you know to begin with, because you never know who might be working in your industry at a company that’s hiring. From there you can make even more mutual connections and build a presence within the community.
Know how to sell yourself
Work on your resume. Make sure it concisely outlines all of your education, experience and achievements. There’s a wealth of free resources online to help you with resumes and cover letters, so make use of them.
Tailor your resume to each opportunity you apply for. Make sure you cover all of the person requirements and have the experience required clearly stated in your resume.
Know how to present the information. Write about projects you’ve taken part in and always demonstrate your success using hard evidence, such as statistics or links to external sources.
Have a plan
Why do you want to work in the industry? Why should they pick you over another candidate?
Make sure you have a clear vision of your goals and how the job you’re competing for will help you to reach them.
Set deadlines
Be strict with yourself and set targets. Consider applying for companies you’d like to work the most to begin within and after a certain number of months accept that you might need to aim lower.
Know how many months you can dedicate to job seeking financially. Be strategic about your searching and keep yourself organized. You can do this with spreadsheets by noting what companies you’ve applied for and what stages your applications are at.
Show them what you’ve got
Be prepared to demonstrate exactly how your skills will help a company. Express your passions and showcase that hard-working attitude, because they don’t hire just based on your education.