Job hunting is no piece of cake. There’s a ton of research, communication, and refining involved. After all, you’re on the hunt for the job of your dreams! As scary as it sounds, if you’re organised, you can get a hold on the process in no time.
Here’s how you can launch a job search that will get the ball rolling – all in 24 hours!
How To Launch A Successful Job Search in 24 Hours
We’ve divided this job search into 3 sections of 8, 12, and 4 hours respectively: research, prep, and applying. Because it’s humanly impossible to be awake and active for a full 24 hours, feel free to divide this between a few days, ensuring that you spend those stipulated hours without fail.
Job Hunt Step 1: Research
Research is the most important part of your job search – that’s why it’s got a whole section dedicated to it!
Doing research can be daunting. Often, we don’t know where to start, which can stall the job hunt process. But it’s not as difficult as it seems – if you take the time to do it right!
First and foremost, be clear about what kind of job you’re looking for.
Do you want to apply for a position similar to your current job in another company? Or are you looking for a higher-up position? What kind of salary are you expecting?
Once you have these answers, doing research will be easy.
- Make a list of at least 10 companies of your choice. 7 out of these should be of interest to you, and the remaining 3 should be your ‘safety net’ companies.
- Tick off each company when you’re done researching, and you’ll have shortlisted your favourite companies.
Here’s how you can conduct thorough research of a company during a job hunt:
1. Their Official Website
A company’s website can give you a glimpse into their vision and what they do.
You will also learn about their work culture, types of projects, and recognition they have received. This will help you in future job interview preparation as well.
2. Their LinkedIn Profile
Every thriving company has a LinkedIn profile, and it can be a goldmine of information.
LinkedIn allows you not just to apply for jobs with the company directly, but also gives you access to employees working there.
Go through their posts, activities, and press releases to understand more about them. You can follow the founders and read more about them, and send out connection requests to employees to strike a conversation and enquire about more career opportunities.
3. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
To understand a company’s work culture better, you can visit their social media profiles. Check the kind of posts they’re putting up, how interactive they are, and what their employees are like.
4. Glassdoor Reviews
To know what really goes on inside the company, you can also visit Glassdoor and read about them.
Glassdoor provides anonymous reviews, commonly asked interview questions, and employee salaries to give an idea of the company’s functioning and structure.
After you’re done with research, note down which companies are hiring and what positions they’re hiring for. When your goals match the company’s available job opportunities, you can move on to step 2: Job preparation!
Kool Kanya brings to you an expert-guided Job Prep Bootcamp, a 10-day program that will groom you to become job-ready. From updating your resume to negotiating salaries, this program has what you need to venture out into the professional world. Register here!
(Continue reading below)
How To Use Google And Social Media For A Job Search
Start Your Job Search With Companies, Not Roles
25 Common Interview Questions You Should Prepare For In 2021
Start Your Job Hunt With These Online Work From Home Jobs India, Feb’21
Here’s How I Landed A Job In The Pandemic
Job Hunt Step 2: Refining Your Resume
Now that you’ve completed your research, you’re aware of what your dream companies are looking for. Be it a certain set of skills, certifications, or work experience, your task now is to put together all the relevant information to impress your dream company.
This is where your resume will come in!
Your resume is a document that lists your skills, work experience, and accomplishments for the recruiter to see.
During the job search process, it’s important to update your resume not only to add your latest accomplishments, but also to tailor your resume according to the company’s needs.
For example, if the role requires you to speak more about social media management and less about content writing, you can mention those accomplishments more clearly across your resume.
Here are some tips to remember when writing your resume:
- Start with your latest job to your first job, i.e. make your resume in reverse chronological order.
- Mention only relevant experience. If you have a considerable amount of work experience, you need not put all your internship experience in the resume.
- Always mention your accomplishments in the form of metrics.
- Make your resume crisp, concise, and to the point.
To know how to make a standout resume as a fresher, head here.
Cover Letter – To Write Or Not To Write?
Once your resume is ready, take a closer look at the job application. Many companies ask for a cover letter along with a resume – that’s your time to shine!
A cover letter supplements your resume and gives a personal touch to it. What your resume cannot explain, your cover letter does.
Your cover letter is where you expand on your accomplishments and speak of them in more detail.
Whether or not a company has asked for it, writing a cover letter is always a good idea!
Here are some tips to remember when writing your cover letter:
- Make sure your cover letter does not exceed one page.
- Use actionable words such as initiated, spearheaded, guided to show ownership.
- Mention your accomplishments as metrics.
- Conclude your cover letter by reaffirming your interest in the position.
Your Portfolio – Super Important!
Your resume and cover letter are important, of course – but if you’re in a creative field, your portfolio will speak for itself. It will exemplify all that is in your resume, and will give a clear idea of your skills and talents to your recruiter.
Take some time to gather your work samples. If you have articles scattered all over the internet, ensure that you have them in one place to send to the recruiter.
Make sure you add links to your work samples in your resume and email. Attach relevant documents wherever necessary, and specify that you have attached your work samples.
There are several ways to make a portfolio – here’s an example!
Now that these three components are out of the way, we move on to step 3: Applying for jobs!
Job Hunt Step 3: Applying For Jobs
You’ve completed your research, and your resume and work samples are ready. Now comes the easiest part – applying for the job!
Since you’ve already shortlisted your companies, you’re already aware of the role you want to apply for. Make sure you follow the procedure as mentioned – if you must email HR, do so promptly. If you must apply via LinkedIn, follow all the rules mentioned. Make sure you send all the required information before hitting ‘send’ – it makes a good impression! Update all your social media handles – especially LinkedIn – for the recruiter to notice.
When applying, always try to get a referral.
A referral is usually given by someone who already works in the company or knows people there. See if there is anyone in your extended network who you can reach out to.
You can also try reaching out to someone on LinkedIn who works for the company. The chances of your application being seen go up when you are referred.
Once you’ve completed your application process, stay alert about responses. Don’t forget to check your ‘Promotions’ tab or ‘Spam’ folder just in case.
And that’s it – you’re done!
The job hunt process can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be if you have the right tools in hand. Join Kool Kanya’s Job Prep Bootcamp, a 10-day expert-guided program that will groom you to become job-ready. From updating your resume to negotiating salaries, this program has what you need to venture out into the professional world. Register here!
You’re invited! Join the Kool Kanya women-only career Community where you can network, ask questions, share your opinions, collaborate on projects, and discover new opportunities. Join now.
