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Have you ever heard that looking for a job is a full-time job? If the answer is yes, don’t listen to it. Also, forget about applying for job offers for which you are not qualified (which 50% of job applicants reportedly do) because it is counterproductive. Competition is difficult, we know. There are even perfect candidates who receive a “NO” as a response to their job applications. So, stop applying for so many jobs and set aside time each week to devote yourself to strategies that can make you more “hirable.” For example:
Volunteering
This can increase your chances of being hired if you are strategic about it. For example, if you know how to design web pages, you can offer the service (pro bono) to a local non-profit organization that needs it. By volunteering somewhere relevant, you will keep your skills fresh as you improve your resume.
Keep your skills updated
If you lack a skill commonly required for the jobs you’re looking for, spend time each day developing that skill. Take advantage of numerous free online resources such as tutorials, ebooks, and instructional videos. On the other hand, if you already have the necessary skills but don’t practice them, DO IT.
Networking
This has two purposes: to reconnect with old contacts and form new ones. Networking could mean contacting professors, college advisors, and internship supervisors, or it could mean reaching out to former colleagues, bosses, and business acquaintances. Find them, send them an email, or call them. Invite them to a coffee. Also, attend events or job fairs and make new contacts. You could meet people with similar interests to you or recruiters or people who can connect you with recruiters while having fun in the process.
Freelance
If you are not looking for a full-time job, maybe it’s time to change your mindset. Freelance work is a great way to increase your skills, resume, portfolio, professional network, income, and confidence, and it may be exactly what you are looking for.
Create an online presence
Start a blog, fix your social media profiles, or create an online portfolio to showcase your work. Find companies you are interested in working for, subscribe to their blogs, and follow them on social media. This can help in your research about the company to personalize your CV according to it, interact with it online, and make yourself known.
What are you doing to be more “hirable”? If you’re not doing anything about it, then consider following at least one of the listed tips starting today. Don’t sabotage your career any longer, and prepare to be the best candidate. Not having a job does not mean that you are a failure; it means that you are on your way to finding your ideal job. Apply to those jobs where you meet the requirements, personalize your resume and your cover letter according to each position, and rest assured that you will soon find the job you are looking for.
GOOD LUCK!
