Job Search Tips That Work for Just About Anyone

Looking for work is a project in its own right, and how you go about it matters. A solid approach gets you more interviews and shortens the stretch between deciding to search and actually landing something good. What follows is a set of habits you can build a plan around. None of them is optional if you want the process to move efficiently.

Everything starts with preparation, and the resume is where you put your first hours. Update it, and keep it to two pages or fewer. The goal is to present yourself truthfully as a strong candidate, leaning on your best skills and putting your most recent work near the top where an employer's eye lands first. Rewrite the objective each time so it speaks to the specific role you're chasing.

Open a separate email account used for nothing but this search. You won't have to dig through promotions and spam to find a reply from a recruiter, because that inbox exists for one purpose. While you're at it, build out a LinkedIn profile. It's where professionals gather, trade leads, and look each other up, so it doubles as both a networking tool and another place to make your case.

Most of the best jobs come through people, which means networking is not a side activity. Go to events in your field. Join the online groups where people in your line of work hang out. Tell friends and family you're open to something new. The old line about it being less what you know and more who you know holds up here, partly because a lot of good openings never make it to a job board. Networking is how you hear about those.

Advertised roles still deserve your attention, though. Search engines built for jobs let you filter by field, and some will let you drill down to a specific title, so you spend your time only on postings you actually qualify for. That focus saves hours. Sign up for newsletters and check posting sites too. The idea is simple: see as many real openings as you can, because more options means a faster, smoother path to an offer.

Carry yourself professionally at every stage, which probably doesn't need saying but gets said anyway. Dress the part and look pulled together. Men should think slacks, dress shoes, a dress shirt and a tie, with a matching jacket for anything at the formal end. Keep hair neat, facial hair trimmed and light, jewelry sparse.

For women, muted colors work better than bright ones. A skirt should hit around the knee; slacks should fit properly. A conservative blouse does the job, with a jacket added for a formal setting. Keep heels to two or three inches at most, and jewelry light. Hair up and tidy, makeup natural. Save the red lipstick and the smoky eye for another day.

Opportunities turn up when you don't expect them, so stay ready even when you aren't actively looking. If you're employed and content, keep an updated resume on hand anyway. Should a better role appear, or should something change where you are now, you'll move quickly instead of starting cold. Being prepared ahead of time is what buys you speed when the hunt begins.

Rosemary Kitchen. Source: Gay Townsend, M. (2013). 7 Tips to Revamp Your Job Search for 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2015.