10 Pro Tips for Effective Job Search

Job boards are arguably the most popular avenues for work placement for both recruiters and job seekers in 2021. For instance, the international success of LinkedIn goes without questioning. The platform provides quality motivational and educational content in addition to matching employers with outstanding job candidates.

Whichever job board you choose to work with, CareerBuilder, Monster, Indeed, and SimplyHired among numerous others, you need to learn the basics of an effective job search. It’s more than simply typing in your desired job and playing around with the filters.

This article is a survival and thrive kit for job seekers who want to craft a winning resume and stand out. This is the missing puzzle to landing that dream interview in the jungle of thousands of other job hunters on job search boards.

What Are the Top 10 Tips?

Tip #1: Craft a Title That Has Them at Hello

It is always encouraged that one dresses how they want to be addressed. And job seekers should show their resume title in the same light. It's essential to make a lasting impression through your resume title. The title is the make or break in getting noticed by search engines. Thus, you should add the verbs that highlight your skills most favorably.

Source: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/magnifying-glass-on-resume-royalty-free-image/157307281

Tip #2: Include an Objective or a Summary in Your Online Resume Profile

Potential employers spend a maximum of 10 seconds on a resume within job boards. Therefore, it’s best to keep your employment objective brief yet powerful. Simplicity is king. Here is an objective on resume example recommended by one of the skillhub.com professionals, "Offering professional services as a skilled and creative (traits) digital editor (job title) with excellent proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Procreate (skills)."

Other examples illustrate the objective for a professional without extensive experience and the summary for those who want to underline their achievements:

"Seeking to leverage my creativity and proven skills (goal) in a digital editor position at Ferguson Productions (position and company) to create fascinating projects according to the company’s needs and wishes (how you can help)."

"I have completed 60+ edits as a freelance worker and received 100% positive feedback from customers (achievements)."

What Is a Resume Objective?

This is the introduction to a resume. It serves the sole purpose of engaging recruiters so much that they want to read the resume to the end. It is a compressed statement of goals with a limit of 2-3 sentences. It should emphasize the greatest qualities that make one the best job candidate.

Source: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/young-businesswoman-typing-an-e-mail-on-laptop-at-royalty-free-image/1072035598

In contrast to the resume summary, the objective allows you to say less of your previous work experience. It places the spotlight on the skills, shifting focus from one’s lack of professional experience. This comes in handy for recent graduates.

How to Write Your Resume Objective?

For an impressive resume, include the following:

• two or three strong traits, such as a creative, self-motivated, multitasker, and so on;
• career goal;
• desired position;
• positive contributions you can make to the organization.

Tip #3: Be Specific

Don't beat about the bush when writing your resume; dive straight to the main points. State the vacancy you are applying for, be clear about your experiences, and be specific about your goals.

Tip #4: Match the Job Description

It is advised that you create a tailored resume for each vacancy that you apply for. The one-size-fits-all approach to resumes likely leads to vague and boring outlines. Do not, therefore, use the same resume objective in every application.

Tip #5: Mind the Keywords

Keywords are exceptional in ensuring that you are noticed. This is because most online recruiters use resume scanning software to pick the creme de la creme of candidates who match their desired skill sets.

Tip #6: Describe How You Can Add Value

Do not forget to demonstrate to your potential employer how you will add value to their organization. This point tells them that you are a team player rather than an average employee with only a paycheck in mind.

Tip #7: Choose a Proper Resume Format

For readability, include quantitative characteristics, open space, bullets, and dates. Steer clear of unprofessional email addresses. It is best to use your first and last name in the email address. Also, clean up bad grammar and spelling with the help of simple tools like Grammarly. Additionally, your resume should take a maximum of 2 pages.

Tip #8: Make Constant Profile Updates

One should update their resume weekly so that when recruiters search by month, week, or day using their applicant tracking system, they appear on top of the list. CareerBuilder offers the advantage option, which automatically provides you with the service of updating your resume, but at a fee.

Tip #9: Add Specialized Certifications

To increase your visibility, include information about additional qualifications, specialized certifications, awards, honors, or volunteering experience.

Tip #10: Double-Check Your Contact Information

Anonymity is not tolerated in a resume as recruiters do not have the time or curiosity to follow up on such a candidate. Amplify your exposure by adding your phone number and social media accounts (if necessary). Make sure every detail is correct so the hiring manager can contact you easily.

Bonus

Here are more tips from a Fortune 100 company recruiter and career advice expert on Twitter.

When applying for a job outside your home country, adding your address may not be necessary. This may disqualify you when recruiters are considering the relocation costs and hustle.

Save your resume in a reliable format, preferably PDF. It would be a mistake to send your document in Word format as someone may edit it easily.

• If you are still in college, insert your future date of graduation.
• Instead of naming your document "resume", opt for your name in the title.

The Takeaway

Considering the stiff competition in the job market, one must have an outstanding resume to land an interview. To cope with the high standards, most people use resume writing services and other similar platforms to craft top-notch resumes. However, with the insights provided in this article, one doesn’t necessarily need these services.