How to Search for a Job?

All of us in corporate world, or those who dream to be in the corporate world, go through the phase of search for a job. This period of looking for an ideal job can be both frustrating and exciting. The feeling is completely dependent on your engagement levels with your current organization. If you are having a horrible time with a very irritating boss, then the need of resigning would be so high on your mind that the wait of a new job could be very frustrating. On the other hand, if you are exploring the market outside, just to assess things, then you may end up enjoying this phase. Whatever may be the reason that’s made you look outside your current employer, here are some tips that could help you in this search.

1. Preparing a CV: Now there are numerous tips available on the internet on how to make a good CV, what I would do is suggest you a few tricks. Never make only one CV that you keep floating across organizations. Instead, when you are applying to a position for which you have a Job Description (JD) available, try and customize your CV to match the requirements of the job. Why this is a suggested way is because, more often than not, when you make your CV, you would try and squeeze all your years of work in those 2-3 pages. While that’s a good thing for a generic CV, it mostly misses highlighting or detailing specific skills and achievements. Emphasising on these specific points are crucial when you see that for the role you are applying to, those are the skills that are a critical requirement of the role. And hence customize your CV to match the JD so that you are able to highlight the work you have done in that field, which makes you such an awesome fit for that role. Going by my experience in this field, I must make an important clarification at this moment. By no means, am I suggesting that give false or misleading information in the CV to match the JD. If you do that, you would be caught easily during your interviews. To help you understand this better, let me make use of a cricket example. Imagine that you are a cricketer with 10 years of vast experience as an all-rounder. You have played all formats of the game and you now wish to be a coach of a country. So, instead of making a CV highlighting all your achievements and experience in that area, you read the job requirements and you understand that the country which is needing a coach right now has been struggling with their bowling attack, and a deeper analysis tells you that its majorly fast bowling which is a concern for them. And hence what you do is make a list of your accomplishments and skills highlighting how with your previous experience, you could help them with their fast bowling. However, what you also do is mention your expertise in batting, fielding etc. because they are not looking for a bowling coach but a coach. So, in terms of split, while 50% of your CV could talk about your skills in bowling, 25% could be in batting and rest 25% in bowling. This is just an example, and you are experts to adapt this in your specific functional roles. A Sales guy would have done tremendous work in FMCG industry, but while applying for a sales role for a telecom giant, it would be nice to specifically mention the work done in the area of emerging markets.

2. Applying on Job Portals: This is again a step most of us know and follow. However, here’s a tip. Don’t just create a user id there and upload your CV there, waiting for someone to see your profile and give you a call. There are two things to be done here:

a. Keep Updating your profile: Having an active profile on the portals, increases your chances of getting a call from the recruiter. So, even if you have nothing new to update on the information you have already provided, just go and make minute changes (even changes in a comma, full-stop would do) and keep clicking on save. This would tell the recruiters you are an active member and still seeking an opportunity for which they can call you.

b. Applying on Jobs: We look at openings on these sites and click on apply. However, what you should try and do is be the first few applicants on that role. Most job sites give you the count of applicants that have already applied on that role. Trust me, the chances of getting a call from the recruiter if you are the 125th applicant is very far less than if you are the 5th applicant. As HR, if we have found the relevant profiles in the first 10 applicants, we won’t be looking beyond that.

3. Networking: It is the most important thing to be done in your professional life, and it’s not restricted to a job search. Networking basically means being connected to as many professionals as possible. And a connection doesn’t mean having 500+ connections on LinkedIn. These should be the people you have worked with, who trust your work and can recommend your soft and functional skills to people in their contact. These would primarily be people with whom you have developed professional contacts through working in cross functional teams, client meetings or even customer interactions. Networking can help you get coaches/mentors/guides and friends who can help you with various things in your professional life. You are most likely to get a good job if it has been referred to by someone in your network. This is because they are the ones who have worked you, who knows you and hence can recommend you to jobs with like-minded people and organizations. Hence it is very important to build on relationships at work. These days, people keep moving from one place to the other and if they have had a good working relationship with you, then they won’t mind recommending you to jobs in the new organization!

These are quick 3 tips on the journey of a job search, which have been passed on to me by my expert friends in HR. See, a practical example of how important networking is! By no means, searching for a job is easy. It takes time and efforts to get your dream job. And hence be prepared to be patient in this. I shall keep updating on this with more tips and tricks time and again, and hence do stay connected! Also, if you have some things to share on this, basis your experience, then do share!