What is the right way, or the wrong way to job search?
➔ If you’ve been following Nifty50s for any amount of time, you may have noticed that at times we’ve reported on what seems to be conflicting news and advice. Sometimes that’s very true.
Especially in today’s topsy-turvy, ever-changing job market, it’s becoming more and more difficult to espouse any particular approach to your job search. What may have been sound advice not too many years ago, now comes with a caveat – or worse, a repudiation.
Confused? You’re not alone
Don’t feel bad if you find yourself torn as to what to do. You desperately want to do the right thing all the while avoiding the wrong thing.
The good news is that, at the end of the day, there is no one, right way to find a job.
There are people who have been doing all the “right” things for months and still nothing. There are others who seem to fall backwards into the job of their dreams. Unfortunately, there are more job seekers in the former group than the latter.
The best approach is to zero in on the tried and true, and keep at it. It’s really not brain surgery.
First and foremost, never underestimate the power of networking. Whether it leads to a job or not, down the road the contacts you make in this exercise may pay you important dividends – dividends that have nothing to do with job seeking. And don’t be afraid to explore some non-traditional forms of networking such as job groups and online meet ups.
Also, one of the realities of our age is to employ LinkedIn in your job search. Not only can you research companies as well as individuals at companies, smartly done, your LinkedIn profile may put you on someone’s radar who didn’t know existed.
Perhaps the key to a successful job search – regardless of the age we’re in or the technology with which we must deal – is persistence. When you really don’t feel like it, make two or three more phone contacts. Keep after people in hiring. Don’t let those contacts slip away. You’re never out of the running until they tell you that you are.
The ultimate good news is that – regardless of age – people are continuing to land jobs, good jobs. There is no reason why you shouldn’t be one of them.