Employers are looking for great talent! How to make it easier for them to find you.

It seems as though job searching is one of those things that is either tremendously rewarding OR tremendously discouraging for all parties, with very little middle ground. If you are a job searcher sending in resume after resume only to receive the polite rejection or no response at all, it can start to feel a little personal. Companies, too, can get discouraged when they have a need but can't seem to find the right person. On the other hand, when you find that place where your skills and experience is exactly what the company is looking for it can be a beautiful thing.  As you conduct your job search remember that the company wants to find a great employee as much as you want to find a great new job.  Here are some things you can do to be found by your next great job.

  1. Make sure your resume is the absolute best representation of you that it can be, and that it is always current. You never want to be caught short when someone asks for your resume. Even if you are currently working, it's a good idea to keep it updated every six months or year. If you are looking for a job now, the best thing you can do is make sure your resume is contemporary, well-formatted, free of error and accurately represents your most shining skills and accomplishments.
  2. Make it easy to find you. If people were to Google your name (and they probably will when they see your resume) then make sure there are good things there to find. Most of the time, a search of you will go right to your LinkedIn profile so that is the number two thing to update as soon as your resume is polished.
  3. Find people who have good things to say about youand ask them to say it! Ask for recommendations on LinkedIn and also ask previous colleagues and bosses if they will write letters or recommendation for you or be prepared to serve as a reference. Not only will this boost your confidence, it will boost your potential employer's confidence in you as well.
  4. Volunteer. A great way to keep current in your skills and experience, especially if you're not working, is to volunteer. The benefits are numerous. You will be vitalized by having a purpose in the midst of your search, you will be doing some good for a cause important to you, you will probably also be meeting new people, which can also lead to new opportunities. Last but not least, it looks great on a resume or profile. Some things to consider are speaking to groups, mentoring to youth in your field or virtually anything that enthuses you.
  5. Network. There are a lot of ways to get out and meet people and it never hurts to get outside your comfort zone. A quick Google search will probably reveal several professional networking groups you can join. There are also virtual groups by trade or profession, not to mention job or career fairs. Participate in your professional community by contributing articles, or attending speaking events. The more people who know you, the more people to potentially recommend you to your new employer. And of course, the more people you know, the more people you can in turn help find their next great place of employment.

What it comes down to is, are you being the person your new company wants to hire, and are you doing everything you can to let them know it? If so, then keep doing what you're doing because success is right around the corner!

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