7 Hacks For Finding The Perfect Job

[Monirul Islam]

A dream job should never feel out of reach.

Whether you're fresh out of college and searching for that first real position, find yourself without full-time employment, or would like to level up your current job title, these seven hacks will streamline the process.

Employers are constantly tweaking and refining ways to attract the best candidates.

Consider what employers are looking for and how you can find your dream job in an unlikely place.



Research a List of Ten Dream Companies


Make a list of at least ten companies you would love to walk into everyday. Then, begin researching each company's history, their employee size, past press (you can easily find this by Google searching the company's name and then clicking the "News" tab), and where the company's expansion may be headed.

For the companies you find yourself crushing on hard, go on LinkedIn and search for current and past employees. Their past job experience, level of education, and volunteerism paints a picture as to the sort of employees that company values.



Follow Targeted Companies' Social Media Accounts


Immediately follow a dream company via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, even Snapchat. There will be a much higher likelihood that you'll know when a job ad is dropped if you're constantly up-to-date on all possible channels of information.

Better yet? Interact with those accounts by retweeting, sharing, or liking. By occasionally leaving a thoughtful, well-formulated comment on a Facebook post or similarly responding to some of their tweets, you can begin to wedge your way onto certain employee's radars. Just be sure to leave the disparaging or sarcastic remarks behind.

Does the company have a weekly newsletter? Make sure you subscribe to that too.



Seek Out Mentors


Actively befriend people in your industry whose work you respect.

Ask for an introduction via email if you have a mutual friend, but also feel confident enough to cold email. Clearly state who you are, how you came across their work, what you admire about their work (no need to gush), and that you would love to buy them a cup of coffee or tea sometime to chat about the industry.

Leave the ball in their court, and always be aware that this will need to be scheduled on their time. Chances are, they have been in the same exact position at some point.



Search For Alternate Job Titles In Search Databases


While you may think that you'll find all possible options by typing the most standard job title for the position you're looking for, job search engines such as LinkedIn or Monster.com will only show the options for what you have specifically looked up.

For example, "executive assistant" will only yield search results for "executive assistant," and all job ads with the title of "administrative assistant" will be lost to you.



Seek Outside Your Comfort Zone


Only working in one industry can be restricting: of your job growth, opportunities, and potential for salary expansion. While you may have worked specifically in tech or finance in HR departments, you may consider other sectors while searching.

Even if the vast majority of your experience lies in one particular industry, you wouldn't want that rigidity to hold your career back.



Ingrain Yourself In Your Industry's Local Community


Go to talks, functions, and lectures that revolve around the industry you'd like to break into. Make it your world. Meet peers at various levels of experience, and naturally let a rapport of camaraderie build as your professional network strengthens.

You may meet a close confidante, someone whose work pushes you to achieve more, or your next future employer.



Sprinkle Keywords Heavily Throughout Your Resume


Who knows whether a human will be reading your resume and quickly scanning, or if it will be an applicant tracking system (ATS). Either way, keywords matter.

While you'll want to saturate, don't fall into the trap of sounding clunky, robotic, or insincere.

Sprinkle keywords heavily throughout your resume -- especially those you may have seen in relevant job descriptions. Finally, search for alternate job titles to be absolutely sure you have uncovered all possible openings.



In Conclusion


Interviews with your dream jobs are easily within your reach as long as you know how to find them. Before applying you will want to identify which companies you would most like to work for and why. Put the work in by researching those companies now to impress future employers later.

Remember that prior professional experience does not hold you to continue in a specific sector, but rather gives you a range of background. Feel comfortable searching outside of your comfort zone.

Ingrain yourself in your professional industry's community by attending events whenever possible. You will continue to learn about your craft while boosting curiosity, passion, and camaraderie. Find a professional mentor, and be a mentor to others. You are never too experienced or wise to learn from others, but it is equally important to give a helping hand to those in the industry just beginning.

Source:  https://www.careercast.com/career-news/7-hacks-finding-perfect-job