Advice For Struggling Job Seekers

It can be upsetting, stressful, and disheartening when you are struggling to find work. The longer that it goes on, the more stressful it can become, and it can be easy to work yourself into a panic if you are unable to land a job. Do not fear, though, because there are always things that you can do to improve your chances, and making a few minor changes to your approach could help you to land a role quickly. You need to exercise patience in the job market but also know how to make yourself as appealing as possible to employers. Here are a few tips that should prove to be useful.

Expand Your Radius

First, it is a good idea to expand the radius of the jobs that you are looking for. If you are only looking for jobs within a small radius, you are making things hard for yourself and limiting your options. Keep in mind that, these days, some remote positions and roles will only involve going into the office 2 or even 1 day a week, which means that commuting is less of an issue. Expand your radius and you will find a lot more work to apply for.

Don’t Be Too Picky

Following this, people often struggle in the job market because they are too picky and find themselves waiting for the perfect job. Sometimes, you must make sacrifices and, if you are desperate for work, then you need to make sure that you are not too picky. This might even involve looking at different industries and alternative roles that you could fill, at least until the right position comes along.

Ask for Interview Feedback

Many people fall at the interview stage, and this can be a real kick in the teeth. It is not an easy thing to do, but you should always ask for feedback and spend time going through this. Feedback will allow you to pinpoint exactly where you went wrong and what you can do to improve for next time. Being able to take constructive criticism is one of the best attributes that you can have, as it will allow you to improve without taking things personally.

Tailor Your Application

When you are struggling to land a job, there is a strong temptation to send off as many applications as possible with the same info to save time. While this scattergun approach might help you to contact a lot more companies, you will find that most employers will simply ignore these applications. Instead, it is worth spending time on each job application, tailoring your application to the job advert, and paying close attention to the language that is used. This will show that care, thought and effort has gone into the application, and it could help you to stand out from the crowd.

Look at Cover Letter Samples

You also need to know how to make your cover letter stand out, as employers will look at hundreds of these. It is helpful to look at cover letter samples online that will give you an idea of what the best layout is and what kind of information you should be including, depending on the industry that you are looking for work in. A great cover letter can get your foot in the door and put you ahead of the competition, so you should never rush through this stage.

Gain Additional Experience

Experience is always a smart way to stand out and appeal to employers. It is not always easy to gain experience, especially if you are looking at entry-level roles. There are always ways to gain relevant experience, though, whether this is an internship, volunteer work, or starting with freelance work. Any kind of experience will help your resume to stand out, as well as help you develop the key skills and attributes that employers are looking for.

Treat Job Hunting Like a Job

You often hear of people complaining about not being able to find a job but then actually putting very little effort into this. To find a job as quickly as possible, you need to put the work in, and this means that you should create a routine and treat job hunting like an actual job. You should build a routine of looking for new roles, filling in applications, responding to emails, interviewing, and then reviewing. When you get organized, put in the hours, and take job hunting seriously, you should find a position before long.

Stay Current with Market Trends

You will also find it helpful to show that you are passionate about the industry and aware of the latest news, developments, challenges, and trends. Employers want to find people that have an interest in their work and will put in the effort to stay current, so make sure that you are up to date with all the latest news, developments, and trends from your industry. You can do this on social media, by reading blogs, listening to podcasts, and reading respected industry publications.

Practice Interviews Beforehand

As mentioned before, it is often the interview stage where people fall. The importance of preparation cannot be overstated when it comes to interviews, as it is helpful both in terms of giving you an idea of what to expect, and how you will answer questions, and in terms of lowering your stress and anxiety levels. Practice interviews with loved ones beforehand, and make sure that you are well prepared by knowing what you are going to wear, giving yourself plenty of time on the day, and knowing exactly where you are going.

Hopefully, the advice in this post will help you to find rewarding work before long. It is easy to panic when you are struggling to find a job, but you need to stick with it and be patient. A slight change in your approach is often what is required, and the above tips should help you to find a great job sooner, rather than later.