When it comes to finding the dream job, it is possible to have all the right qualities, and a great CV, yet still fall short on making headway in your preferred career direction. A competitive job market combined with a range of recruitment platforms can make job hunting a daunting task, especially for beginners embarking on their first professional job search. Such a task can be minimized with a good systematic approach, which involves using your creativity and resources as efficiently as possible. So where to begin?
One of the best approaches to job hunting is to first have a plan which suits the job market you wish to apply to. A CV for a software developer position will be rather different in character and content than one aimed at a sales representative, for example. Narrowing down your target employers before you begin applying makes the process much more efficient. It also helps you become more focused, perhaps giving you ideas to create a more specific and targeted CV. Describe your ideal job as clearly as possible, and use this as a way of evaluating your ability to fulfilling the job requirements of a specific position you apply to. Do you have the required experience and skills? Can you see the role as a reflection of your career prospects? These are just some of the questions you can ask yourself after you have defined what kind of job you are looking for.
Once you have defined your ideal job, then it is time to plan out your approach to searching for jobs within your chosen industry. Keeping a daily agenda helps structure your day-to-day routine. Perhaps make a plan to apply for x many jobs per day. Be careful not to make the number too high, as each application should be given enough time and attention to make sure it is done correctly. There is no point in sending out bad applications to many jobs. Try to find a happy medium. Job boards such as MonsterBoard or Indeed are great to get started, but to be more focused you should try agencies more suited to your chosen industry. For example, as a STEM graduate in the Netherlands, I found BrainPort very useful for jobs geared towards technology and applied science.
With the above tactics in place, you are well on your way to having a more systematic approach to finding the right job. Simply having a clear picture of what kind of job you want to have puts you in a much better position, and makes the job hunting process much less arduous than it could otherwise be. Being focused, having a daily planner, and interacting more directly with the companies you want to work for is one of the best (and achievable) approaches to job hunting. With the right attitude and planning, success is guaranteed.
Adam Watson