Is the thought of job hunting more stressful than leaving your stressful job?

Don't let the process of job hunting be the reason you stay in a job that's no longer serving you.

Breaking down the job hunt into manageable steps can help you land your dream job by being knowledgeable, organized, and proactive.

First, get clear about your skills, strengths, and weaknesses. Journaling about these areas will help you focus on choosing jobs that are right for you.

Identify your short and long term career goals. Your next job may not be a long term position if your ultimate goal is to become an entrepreneur.

Based on your current situation, what is your ideal industry, role, salary, and location?

Research potential career paths. Write down any skill or qualification gaps you should consider to get that type of job.

Tailor your resume, cover letter, and online presence to match the qualifications and skills needed for your preferred job.

Resume tip:

• Use relevant keywords from job descriptions to get your resume seen.

• Customize your resume for each job that has different descriptions and qualifications.

• Update your LinkedIn profile to showcase your recent experience and skills.

Andrew has decided to transition to a new career. He has updated his resume, but he's unsure of the next steps. What should he do next to improve his job search?

A. Apply to as many jobs as possible through a "quick apply" option.

B. Improve technical skills before applying to any job.

C. Tailor his resume to every job application.

D. Develop a work portfolio before browsing through job listings.

Create a list of job boards and set up your profiles to easily apply to jobs. You can set up job alerts to keep you posted on available jobs that fit your needs.

Networking through LinkedIn and social media platforms can help you build a network that can provide you with insider knowledge about the job you are interested in.

Pro tip: Get organized by tracking your applications with a spreadsheet that contains information about the company, role, date applied, and follow-up dates.

Set a daily or weekly application goal. This will help create momentum in the process.

If you only apply to one job every few weeks, you'll lose hope quickly, since there's a high chance you may not hear back from the company about that job.

Don't be afraid to follow up on applications after a couple of weeks, especially for jobs that you are interested in.

Look up common interview questions and practice your responses with a friend or mentor.

Photo by CoWomen on Unsplash

Interview tips:

• Dress appropriately for the role, whether it is an in-person or virtual interview.

• Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer. Create questions based on what you value in your working life.

• Review the company website and stay updated on the latest news about the company prior to the interview

Lily is applying to jobs with the goal of learning new skills so she can eventually apply to higher-level positions.

Which type of questions would help Lily decide if the job is a good fit?

• Option A: Role and Responsibilities

  What does a typical day look like for someone in this role?

• Option B: Company Culture

  What are the core values of the company?

• Option C: Growth and Development

  How do you support employees in achieving their career goals?

• Option D: Performance and Feedback

  What qualities do you look for in an employee's performance?

You already have everything you need to represent yourself well in your job search.

Take some time to reflect on what you want before looking for jobs to streamline the process.

Photo by Prateek Katyal on Unsplash

Check out these Bytes for help with your job hunting checklist: