Reboot Your Job Search

The job market has been unpredictable and strenuous for students, new graduate and alumni. Here are some quick tips to have you reboot your job search!

1. Re-organize your job search:
   • Are you mass applying? When you mass apply without focus, your resume and cover letter are not tailored. Although it may FEEL like you are being proactive in your job search, you are hurting your employment outcomes. Target your search to make a strong application packet.
   • Have you used versatile job search platforms? Using Indeed and LinkedIn are the classic, effective job search platforms, but consider adding more to your search toolbox:
     • Handshake
     • Prosple: Entry level jobs
     • Newgrad-jobs: Entry level jobs
     • Careerbuilder.com
     • Jobright
2. Review your resume and cover letter
   • Are you tailoring your resume and cover letter to match the skills employers are seeking or keeping items YOU want to highlight? It’s key to really focus in on what the employer wants and not what we deem important to us – save that for the interview!
   • Is it Applicant Tracking System (ATS) friendly? Use Jobscan to check your compatibility and ATS readability.
3. Create a realistic mindset
   • Job search has no time limit. It can take between 3 – 6 months (more or less) to land a job. Being aware of that timeline can help you keep persistent.
   • Rejection is part of the game. Being “ghosted” or “rejected” are difficult speed bumps, but are included in the job search packet. It’s difficult to not take it personally. However, this is not an attack on your character or worth. Find ways to process the denials and continue to move forward!
4. Use AI for new job titles
   • Here is a prompt that can hopefully support your job search:
     • “I’m exploring career opportunities in the field of XYZ and want to uncover a wide-ranging list of relevant job titles that are currently in demand. Go beyond the obvious—include emerging roles, cross-disciplinary positions, and titles that may be listed under different names but share similar skill sets. Highlight any trends or shifts in the job market that might influence the types of roles available in XYZ. Organize the results by category or function if helpful.”
5. Chat with your connections
   • Connections (your network) can assist you in checking your application materials and creating realistic expectations from their experiences. Chat with them to learn about the job market, current skills required that you can work on, other connections they can recommend and strategies they used in their job search.

Need support? Schedule an appointment with a Career Coach! YOU ARE NOT ALONE