5 Pathways to Job Search Success
In today’s tight job market, clicking ‘Apply Now’ and waiting for a call isn’t enough. You need to take a strategic approach to your job search. That’s why I explore five main pathways with all of my clients. Some cast a wide net, while others are more focused. It’s essential to move along each route throughout your job hunt—because you never know which one will lead to your next career opportunity.
1. Network
Network, network, network. Employee referrals are a top source for new company hires. Connect with friends, former colleagues, and college alumni groups. Don’t be afraid to send a LinkedIn message or email to people in your network, letting them know you are looking for a new role. Companies often have an incentive for employees when they refer candidates, so there is something in it for them beyond the good vibes of helping you out. Commit to contacting two people a day and see what happens!
2. Update your LinkedIn Profile
Wouldn't it be wonderful if your next job found you! My fellow recruiters and I are on LinkedIn ALL DAY searching for awesome talent. Our recruiter accounts help us discover candidates based on location, job title, company, keywords, skills, and more. A sparse LinkedIn profile makes it unlikely recruiters will find you, even if you tick all of the requirements they seek. Once you have a strong profile, stay active on the platform. This makes you more findable. We discover candidates who engage with their professional peers and those who write articles and share their expertise. Once you polish your resume, the next critical steps are completing your LinkedIn profile and getting comfortable using the platform.
3. Apply to Job Postings
You’ve got to be in it to win it! Set up targeted job alerts on platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, and submit your application as quickly as you can. For popular roles, recruiters may have a calendar full of phone screenings within a day or two after posting.
I also recommend going one step further and following up with a recruiter or potential manager for the role. You won’t always know who this person is, however, so you may need to put on your research cap. If you apply for a tech role in a company, reach out to a tech recruiter for that company. If you apply for a marketing role, don’t be afraid to send a LinkedIn request to the VP of Marketing. This extra level of effort could be the difference between your resume being reviewed or overlooked.
Explore job boards beyond LinkedIn and Indeed, too. Find the niche job boards for your industry to ensure you see all open roles. If you’re in tech, look at Built In NYC; designers check out Behance.
4. Contact 3 Recruitment Consultancies/Executive Search Firms
Research top recruitment agencies in your field and connect with at least three of them. Companies engage with recruitment firms for executive searches, volume hiring, and contract or temporary roles. To avoid duplicate efforts, companies may never post these roles directly. If the agency doesn’t submit you for the job, you may never know the company was hiring.
5. Target your Dream Companies
If you have a few dream companies, but you haven’t seen suitable job listings with them—visit their careers’ websites. Sometimes companies post jobs there and skip the postings on LinkedIn and other job sites. The companies may also offer the option to join their talent community by uploading your resume. This gets you in their applicant tracking system, which in-house recruiters will search when a job in your wheelhouse opens up. Remember to make an extra effort to find people in your immediate or extended network who work for these companies and reach out to them too!
Leverage all of these pathways consistently and make adjustments as you go. If you don’t get responses, that’s a sign you may need to fine-tune your resume or develop your interviewing skills. Most importantly, keep learning and keep moving forward!