Get Hired! 7 Smart Ways to Increase Your Chances of Landing Your Dream Job
How close are you to landing your dream job?
Do you know that, on average, 250 resumes are received for each corporate job opening ? Or Monster receives as many as 427,000 resume submissions every week?
In other words, the odds are already stacked against you when it comes to getting any job, let alone your dream job. With the right steps, though, you can give yourself an edge over others and easily land that perfect role. Here are some tips to help you do just that:
1. Build Your Online Presence
Research shows that 75 percent of recruiters and hiring managers check the social media profiles of their candidates when making hiring decisions, and 94 percent of recruiters use social media to recruit.
The Internet plays more of a role in the hiring process than most job seekers realize, and it’s time to take advantage of this fact.
Make sure you have a fully developed online presence that paints yourself in a positive light, and you’ll inch closer to your dream job.
2. Apply for More Than One Job
Many job seekers wrongly assume that they only have to apply to one job at a company. This is not so. If you find out that you are highly qualified for more than one job, it is okay to apply to more than one job. As long as you aren’t just applying to every job opening, this will give you an edge and increase your chances of getting hired.
3. Be Creative on Your Resume
Do you know that recruiters spend about 5-7 seconds looking at your resume? Yes, you have that little time to make an impression and stand out.
You can give yourself an advantage by being creative with your resume. This article by Jon Lee shares some creative ways to make your resume stand out. It’s definitely worth a look!
4. Perfect Your LinkedIn Profile
Creating a LinkedIn profile gives you an advantage over the competition. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, you should fix that ASAP. If you do have a LinkedIn profile, make sure it is properly completed and includes all necessary details about your experience, qualifications, education, and work history. That will make it easy for recruiters to decide whether or not you’re a fit for them.
5. Start a Website
Employers value creativity. Starting a website – and keeping it active –communicates that you’re a creative and passionate person.
There have been countless instances of people landing their dream jobs – even without trying – simply because they had a website. A notable example is Leslie Samuel, who was able to get his dream job as a lecturer due to the success of his website. Then there’s Matt Epstein, who created a website asking Google to hire him. The site went viral, and though he didn’t land a job at Google, Epstein received more job offers than he knew what to do with. He eventually settled with a job that he loved.
6. Understand the ‘Four Key Areas’
It has been observed that, when making hiring decisions, recruiters pay attention to four key areas. The four areas are:
– Education
– Job titles
– Companies you’ve worked at
– Start and end dates of the jobs you’ve held
Pay special attention to these four areas on your resume. Make this information easy for recruiters to find, and you’ll increase your chances of getting hired.
7. Don’t Ignore Your Cover Letter
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And there you have it: seven simple, but profoundly important steps to take when you’re on the hunt for your dream job. It’s up to you to wow your ideal employer, so take every opportunity you get to show them you’re the candidate they need!