Job search strategies that work

How to get shortlisted for that dream job 

Long ago, finding that dream job was as easy as checking out the classifieds or hitting that big “APPLY NOW” button on a recruitment page. But as times change and more and more people look for work, you might find yourself in a sea of applicants fighting for that one dream job that you have been eyeing on. Why this change? How do you compete with all these people?

The truth is, traditional ways of getting a job won’t take you anywhere. You have to get shortlisted using a technique that takes time to develop BUT would no doubt get you that dream job. This is about creating a job network.

Understanding how employers look for employees

Most hiring managers will first seek the ideal people to fill job vacancies through their own network. Why is this so? This is to save them time, money and effort by looking people that they can trust. They might consider an associate or previous colleague who has considerable years of expertise for a position or a hardworking employee who has developed good working knowledge of a department to lead it. These people are a part of his or her own personal network. The recruitment process can be escalated to the next level in case a suitable candidate is not found.

Building a good professional network

Creating your own professional network takes time but the results can be very rewarding. Remember how you took time to build your social media network, your extensive list of followers or friends on social media sites? This is similar to creating a network of professional people who will help you find work or look for suitable workers.

Good tools available online

Even if you are too shy you can build your network using great tools online. LinkedIn will show you how to expand your network quite easily and it starts with creating a very thorough profile. Google, on the other hand, has Circles which will also help you construct a formidable network that reaches far and wide. There are more ways to create a network online; you can create one or two networks that could overlap with other networks as more people want to be a part of yours.

Even if you are not looking for work

Creating a network is not just good for people looking for work. Networks can also help you find suitably talented people or be a wall to lean on in case you need help in the near future.