Get ready for job search success with these winning tips and strategies!

Wondering how to find a job? It's hard to know where to start and who to trust! Don't panic – we've pulled together the top job search tips and strategies so that you can start your job search off on the right foot and maintain momentum until you're over the finish line. 

Job hunting strategies 

Whether you're tentatively putting your foot onto the first rung of the career ladder, or you're an experienced professional with many years of experience, or you're taking your career in a new direction entirely, it's perfectly normal to feel apprehensive and to have questions about the process: 

  • How do I find a job? 

  • What is the most effective way to find a job?

  • How can I find the right job for me?

It can be a stressful and overwhelming time, so we'd like to share some tried-and-tested job search strategies that will not only shorten your job search, but will also give it direction and help you to maintain motivation and action on the difficult days.

Leverage your network 

The power of networking is often underestimated when job hunting, but a significant percentage of roles are secured this way. One of the first things you should do when you begin a new job search is to evaluate and reach out to your network. 

Consider friends, family, current and former colleagues, managers, acquaintances from volunteering roles or hobbies, religious communities, even suppliers and former customers. The list is pretty much endless and your network is likely to be wider than you imagine. Reconnect with those you haven't contacted for a while and mention your job search to anyone that may have valuable insights. 

You'll find that, most of the time, people genuinely want to help. Even if they don't know of any current vacancies in your area, you'll be at the top of their mind if they hear of anything. Additionally, if they work at a company with a referral scheme, they'll be more than happy to promote your candidacy as they'll benefit financially if you're hired. 

Scour online job boards

You can love 'em or hate 'em, but there's no denying that online job boards are a treasure trove of live vacancies. While LinkedIn and Indeed are often considered the best sites to find a job, due to the sheer number of vacancies they advertise, there are many other job boards out there. Depending on your objective, you may want to concentrate your search on major job boards with a high number of vacancies for a wide range of positions, or you may prefer to focus on smaller, industry-specific boards with vacancies suited to your niche. 

Expert tip: Beware! As well as being a treasure trove of live vacancies, online job boards can also be a fertile environment for scams so keep your wits about you. 

Visit employer websites 

Of course, not all employers post their vacancies on job boards. When you're asking how to find a job, visiting employer websites is a top-rated strategy. You'll need to have a good idea of the companies operating in your target sector, otherwise time will run away with you – there's no way that you'll be able to visit the website of every employer in your state. But if you're aiming for a particular brand, niche, or industry, this can be a productive way of finding out about roles and applying directly, whilst cutting out the recruiters and job boards. 

Join networking events 

Okay; they're not for everyone. But if you're a natural people-person (or you're just feeling brave!) there are bound to be some networking events local to you. These days, you can even join online events to broaden your geographical reach.

The key to successful networking is not to focus on talking about yourself and broadcasting your job hunt. You're much more likely to be successful if you approach it with the aim of helping others and getting to know people in the long term. If you're able to build a trusting relationship with someone, they're more likely to share opportunities and recommend you for roles in the future. Remember that they're staking their reputation by referring you to a company, so they'll want to know and trust you first. 

Expert tip: Before you join any networking event, make sure you've perfected your elevator pitch. 

Make use of social media 

If you're unsure about how to find a job online, start with something you're familiar with. The majority of people have at least one social media account. You can use this to promote your job search among your network and reach out to new contacts. Not everyone will know exactly what you do, so rather than broadcasting a generic message like “I'm looking for a new job,” make sure you state what you're looking for and where.

The most obvious network to use for this message is LinkedIn, which is oriented around professional connections and careers, but if you feel more confident testing the waters on Facebook, Instagram, X, or TikTok first, then do. Don't neglect LinkedIn completely, however. It is absolutely worth setting up a profile, building a network, and applying for jobs on this platform, even if it feels a bit icky to start with. 

Attend job fairs

Colleges and universities frequently organize jobs or careers fairs. They enable organizations to build a talent pipeline and promote their employer brand, so you may not immediately land a role by attending, but you'll be able to meet employers face to face, ask questions, build your network, hand out your resume, and, if you're lucky, you may get the opportunity to pursue a live vacancy. 

Take an internship

For those wondering how to find a job as a student, internships are well worth considering. Not every internship is currently paid, and may therefore be unrealistic for some applicants, but there are more paid internships than there used to be and they're a great way to not only develop your skills but also to meet people in your field and discuss careers with them. 

Some internships can lead to a full-time role but even those that don't can still provide valuable experience for your resume, contacts for your network, and transferable skills for future employment. And all those things will help you to eventually land a job. 

Contact recruiters 

Recruiters used to be a staple of every main street, but now you're more likely to find them online. Like job boards, you'll find general recruiters and those that specialize in particular industries and niches. Plenty of businesses use external recruiters and headhunters to fill their vacancies, so when you've made contact and sent them your resume they'll be able to connect you with relevant opportunities that you may not hear of elsewhere. 

Volunteer 

For those wondering how to find a job with no experience, the job search can seem like a vicious circle. You can't get a job because you have no experience, but you can't get experience without a job! It's frustrating, but there's an answer. Volunteering is an under-rated way of entering the job market. 

You'll gain skills, experience, and contacts, as you would with an internship, but you'll also be able to fit the hours around your other commitments and do some good within your local community at the same time! Sometimes volunteering can lead to paid employment, but even when it doesn't it's still a foot-in-the-door to the industry or role you're interested in. 

Cold call employers or send speculative applications

While cold applications don't have the highest success rates, if you don't ask, you don't get! Sending a speculative application with your resume, cold calling companies, and reaching out to hiring managers on LinkedIn costs nothing, but could yield the results you're after. Remember, when taking this approach, that no-one owes you a job. Rather than telling them what you want, tell them what you can offer. Show what problems you can solve or the results you can deliver, and you're immediately a more attractive proposition than the person that simply asked for a job.

Get ready to find a job

Are you ready to implement those strategies? Make sure you've done these things first:

Update your resume 

Don't enter into a job search without this tool in your toolbox! A well-written, persuasive resume will set you apart from other applicants and showcase you as the most attractive applicant for the job. Before you even begin wondering how to find a job, you'll need your master resume polished and ready to go. Once this is done, you'll be able to apply for jobs as soon as they crop up. It only takes a matter of minutes to tailor a resume to a specific role once you have a solid master template in place. 

Build your network

As we mentioned, leveraging your network is one of the surest ways to land a job. Therefore, it makes sense to put some time into expanding your network. Connect with others on LinkedIn, but also grow your network in real life by keeping in touch with your existing contacts and asking for introductions or informational interviews. 

Target your job search

The scattergun approach rarely works. The most successful job hunts are those that are carefully targeted to a particular role or sector. With research, a tailored resume, and relevant contacts, you're more likely to secure a position in your chosen sector than you are to find a position by applying to every open vacancy with a one-size-fits-all resume and cover letter. Sometimes, less is more. 

Track your job search

A simple job search can quickly get out of hand if you don't track your applications from day one. Maintain a document detailing the roles you've applied for, the URL of the job posting, contact names, dates, and the stage your application is at. That way, you won't be caught out by surprise calls and can easily refer back to the job posting as you progress through the recruitment process. It also makes it much easier to follow up on applications. 

Review your socials

Plenty of companies now review the social media profiles of applicants, to ensure they're not posting anything that could cause reputational damage to the company. Have a good clean up of every one of your social media profiles, or at least lock down the privacy settings. It would be a shame to miss an opportunity because of a photo taken years ago or a thoughtless comment.

Settle in

A job search is rarely a quick process. In the first quarter of 2024, statistics show that it took, on average, 20-22 weeks for unemployed people to find a job. By using these strategies and tips, you'll likely be able to shorten this – but don't expect overnight results. 

To turbocharge the first stages of your job search, why not start with your resume? The experts at TopResume would be happy to provide a free, no obligation review of your document, so that you can step into the future with confidence. 

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