3 Job Search Tactics That Bring Results You Want

There’s a reason why people are advised to secure a job before quitting even in the best job market. Job searching can involve a lengthy process, especially when the best job search tactics aren’t in use.

If you want results, you’ll have to lean towards the proactive, go-getter style of job searching. Use these job search tactics to help you!

1. Tips around job boards.

As popular as job boards are for job seekers, they’re not the best place to secure job opportunities. The problem is, if you don’t fit the position like a glove, your resume has a hard chance of being seen. In most cases, the submitted resume is run through an Applicant Tracking System, which ranks the resume according to keywords and internal algorithms.

In a recent chat with a Afrirecruiters Ltd, I was told that out of 100 resumes that come in, they only look at the top 5 ranked resumes, meaning 95 resumes are not even seen. So the odds are against you here – even if you’re well-qualified. An alternative way to use job boards is to find opportunities there, but rely on referrals and networking techniques (discussed below) to get your resume seen. Also, you’ll have better luck with finding fitting job opportunities when you stick with niche job boards.

2. Tips around recruiters.

Recruiters can find people jobs, right? That’s not exactly how it works. Recruiters, find people for jobs, not jobs for people. Recruiters are paid by the employer to find the right candidate for the job, so while it may seem like they are helping to find you a job, they are really looking to see if you have fit the jobs they need to fill.

The general advice is recruiters are good to work with when they specialize in jobs opportunities at your level (so check their ads). In most cases, it is for hard-to-fill positions that requires specific knowledge and skills. So, if you’re a recent grad or at entry-level, your time is probably better off spent using another job search tactic like networking.

3. Tips around networking.

Direct contact through networking has the highest effectiveness rate when it comes to job search tactics. People hire people they like and know, and that’s why most employers even offer employees an incentive for referrals. Fortunately, job seekers today have places like LinkedIn that make it easy for networking. Just by searching the company name on LinkedIn, the page will already tell you people in your network employed there and other relevant connections that can help you get started.

Remember, with networking, it works best if you approach contacts asking for advice instead of asking for a job. Let them know you’re interested in the specific employer or job, and ask for advice like whether they can tell you about the application and interview process they went through or other general advice like what types of experience or skills are important to highlight for a job in XYZ.