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No matter where you’re at in your job search journey, the key to success is preparedness. If you’ve been at the job search for a while, you may be wondering how you can make your search more effective. Below are 3 job search mistakes that you could be making and how to fix them.
Searching Without a Plan
First ask yourself, “what am I looking for out of my next role or employer?”
Take some time to make a list. Try including some of these things:
- Your skills
- What you enjoy/don’t enjoy about your role or workplace
- What culture you’d like
- What benefits you’d like
- Desired salary range
Consider if you’d like to try a new department or role. It’s a lot easier to try something new in hospitality because most skills are interchangeable. Or consider applying for a more senior role than your current or most current role.
Once you’ve answered all these questions for yourself, make a plan. Decide what roles you want to apply for, what days you want to dedicate to job searching, and what employers you’d like to work for.
Outdated Online Profiles
If you think LinkedIn isn’t worth your time, you’re missing out on a tremendous networking tool.
Sign up for a LinkedIn profile if you don’t already have one and take some time to complete all the sections. If you already have a LinkedIn profile, make sure that you update your current work experience and skills. Compare your resume and LinkedIn profile to make sure they reflect each other.
Once your profile is up to date, send a connection invite to coworkers, hospitality leaders you admire, hiring managers, and anyone you are interested in following. Don’t be scared to send a personalized message to them to start a conversation. An important reminder is to never start by asking them for something, build the relationship first.
Take some time to also review your other social media handles. If they are public, would they make a good impression to a hiring manager or HR? Are there any pictures or statuses that you should remove?
Lastly, update your job search profile. Maybe you signed up for Hcareers a few years ago and haven’t revisited it since. It’s probably time to upload your new resume and update what you are looking for in your next role/company.
Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket
A multi-pronged approach to the job search is by far the best. Some companies rely on networking and referrals to fill their positions. Others like to search employment websites for resumes. Still, others prefer to post open positions on a job board and see who bites. If you want to maximize your opportunities, maximize your methods.