Undertrained? How to Take Charge of Your Professional Growth
November 14, 2024
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Are you planning to start a job hunt in the near future? Having a few things in mind prior to and while searching for a job can make the difference between getting great results or finding yourself struggling to land a job for more time than you expected.
If it’s been a long time since your last job search or it’s the first time you’re actually taking it into your own hands, we’ve tailored a guide to lessen the burden and make the process smoother and enjoyable. So make sure to go through all our recommended actions to achieve a great job hunt.
One of the biggest job hunt challenges is searching for a job without jeopardizing your financial stability, especially when you’re unemployed or planning on quitting your job to begin your search.
Even though the ideal scenario to have a major-league job hunt is to hold it up until you’ve tailored a plan that allows you to be financially ready, there are unhealthy work environments or situations that can urge you to look for a new job or career as soon as possible. For this sake, it’s essential you stay prepared and aware of your current financial state so you don’t find yourself accepting a role that doesn’t fit your job expectations.
If you’re running a financial check-up to decide if you start your job hunting without quitting or if it’s enough to create a job search fund and a budget, here are a few steps to take into account:
If you end up with a positive number after the check-up, you’re set up to build a budget and emergency fund if you haven’t put them together already. Remember, keeping financial stability is key for your peace of mind and making your job hunt great.
For the sake of having financial stability and getting the most out of your resources when searching for a job, partnering with a recruiter is one of the early steps to take on your job hunt.
Whether you don’t have too much time to invest in the search for a new job or need guidance because you have insufficient means or information, working with a recruiter can help you excel in your job hunt and get great results.
Recruiters can guide and assist your job hunt on different aspects that range from reviewing and leveling up your resume to career coaching or even increasing your visibility and putting your name in front of big companies.
When it comes to gpac recruiters, on top of bringing their industry experience, portfolio of clients and job openings, and insight to enhance your profile, they work with job seekers free of charge so you don’t have to worry about paying a commission that will affect your pockets.
There are other tools you can use to improve your chances of getting a great outcome for your job hunt. Artificial Intelligence is one of the trendiest tools professionals are using to assist their job search.
Not only has AI broken into the recruitment scene to ease hiring managers’ work but also happens to be a powerful ally for professionals to craft and level up their resumes, mock up an interview, and even submit and manage their applications. In case you haven’t explored AI job search applications, here are practical uses to turn your job hunt into a great experience.
Despite all the benefits, be mindful about how you use AI in your job hunt and stay aware of its limitations. As with any other automating tool, AI can be generic, so relying excessively on it can be self-defeating. The best way to prevent this issue is to keep the balance between using it for assistance and adding your personal touch in any effort, especially when it comes to human interactions.
Both working with a recruiter or using AI during your job search mean an excellent opportunity to update or build from scratch a new resume. With the insight of an expert search consultant or the state-of-the-art features of Artificial Intelligence, you’ll be able to close the gaps in your resume or give it a new presentation to make it more attractive.
One of the cornerstones of a great job hunt is having your resume and profile optimized for the positions you’re applying for; therefore, make sure to include the right information, whether is technical or soft skills, achievements, related job roles, etc.
Depending on your situation, you can just add your most recent jobs, projects, or certifications, but if you consider that it’s outdated, you can also update the list of skills in your resume.
Remember that you can have multiple resumes or adjust them according to the position you’re applying for. While some hiring managers will be more interested in your background or education, others will be more attracted to a strong foundation for upskilling.
Whether you’re working with a recruiter, using an AI tool, or exploring job boards, you’ll come across many types of job descriptions. Since their presentation, structure, and content will vary, it’s essential for you to learn how to read and break them down.
Even though every company and hiring manager crafts and organizes their job descriptions according to their needs and parameters, most job postings should include some or all the following elements:
Despite how the job postings you come across are tailored, you should pay special attention to a few aspects to guarantee you apply for one of the roles you targeted at the start of your job hunt. If you’re currently searching for a particular, here are a few elements to look out for in a job description:
After going back and forth between growing your network, submitting applications, and sourcing job descriptions, you’ve finally got to talk to a hiring manager. Even though having job interviews scheduled is great for your job hunt and may feel like reaching an end goal, this is just the beginning of another process to get you close to your dream job.
Although preparing for a meeting with an HR executive seems subjective, and the game plan will vary from one professional to another, be aware that the more you do your homework prior to a job interview, the more confident you’ll be and the closer you’ll be to project a long-lasting first impressión.
So, how are you supposed to prepare for a job interview? From having basic information on the top of your mind, like the job position specifics and company’s background information, to rehearsing how to answer common job interview questions.
If you want to go a step further, you can even craft a list of concerns about the role or prepare an interview follow-up plan for once the meeting is over. Remember, it all comes down to having elements that allow you to approach the interview more relaxed and more thoughtfully.
If you have a great job interview and things run smoothly afterward, the next step of your job hunt will likely be to receive and negotiate an offer. If the salary or benefits proposed by the company are short compared to your expectations, there is no need to settle with a job offer lower than your current salary; instead, step up to the plate and discuss the terms of the position’s compensation.
For this sake, it’s essential you keep the confidence you’ve displayed during the whole process. In order to be comfortable about discussing wages, you’ll have to research for arguments that make your case stronger. Market research and evidence of your success in previous projects will be your strongest arguments in salary negotiations.
Keep in mind that there are many aspects of your compensation offer that you can renegotiate aside from the wage. Companies often may refuse to raise your pay but be willing to improve other benefits such as flexible hours and remote work, wellness subscriptions, home-office stipends, health care, PTOs, and performance bonuses.
One last note is to be flexible about your needs and demands throughout the whole process of searching for a job. If a company doesn’t meet your expectations in the first place, balance things out by considering other job enrichment aspects.
Overall, if you follow these steps, you’ll increase your chances of having a great job hunt and get one step closer to your career growth goals or even landing your dream role.
Contributed by Luis Arellano
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