How to Be a Good Job Seeker | FlexJobs

There’s no doubt about it—job searching is hard work. You might feel like most of the job search process is outside your control, and you’re at the mercy of the recruiters and hiring managers. Realistically though, you’re all on the same team, even though it probably doesn’t feel like it. You are all hoping to find the best fit for an open position. It’s your job to convince them it’s you.

The more passionate you are about the position, the less likely you’ll be looking for a new job anytime soon, which is excellent for both the employer’s recruiting records and the overall business stability. Have you considered if there are areas where you could be a better job seeker? Are there any opportunities that would make it easier for a recruiter to look at your submission and say, “this is the perfect candidate”?

Strive to Be an Excellent Job Seeker

There are many different ways to be an excellent job seeker, and admittedly, none of them are new or earth-shattering. There actually might be too many tips floating around out there, which can get overwhelming.

If you’re struggling in your job search, it might be worth it to take a look at some of the basics that make an excellent job seeker. You can decide which areas you do well already and where you need to brush up on your skills. Consider the following tips to help ensure you’re the obvious candidate.

Be a Researcher

Do you think of job searching as a data entry role? Or a research role? If you’re approaching it from a data entry standpoint, you’ll simply be entering your information in a routine and, frankly, rather dull manner for every position.

Instead, switch your mentality to that of a creative researcher. To truly be an active part of the hiring process, you need to have completed research on the company several times—before you submit your application, before and during your interview, and when you’re following up.

This means you should spend time thoroughly assessing what the recruiter is looking for. Mine their social media posts, find employee reviews, and pore through the deeper parts of their website. The better you can get a feel for the company culture, the more passionate you’ll be about working for them, which conveys in your interactions.

Breathe Life Into Your Resume

Take the time to customize your resume for each job you apply to, highlighting the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position. Try to reframe the way you think of your resume, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter. They’re not static, unchangeable assets. Instead, they are living, breathing documents that can be your best allies if you are using them well.

Network Like Your Job Depends On It

Fantastic job seekers know that it’s not just about submitting online applications—they also reach out to their connections and let people know they’re looking for a job. They attend industry events, connect with people on LinkedIn, and generally try to put their name out there.

If you’re not doing this, you could miss out on some great opportunities to inadvertently interact with the recruiter and raise your visibility throughout the relevant job market. How active are you in your industry groups on LinkedIn? What about informational interviews? While you won’t have the time to conduct them at every company you apply for, they still hold enormous value.

Share Your Personality

This is one of the best ways to stand out from the crowd. How you share your personality will depend on the job you’re applying for and the company culture. Do they want a more formal approach, or are they looking for someone creative and out-of-the-box? How you answer this question will help you determine how to share your personality without being unprofessional.

Be Kind to Everyone

You never know who has the ear of the recruiter. Even if you’re normally a lovely and polite human, interviews and job searches can be high-anxiety situations. Don’t get so focused on the outcome that you’re unintentionally rude to others you might interact with. If your focus causes you to disrespect the receptionist or someone in the building unintentionally, and they mention it to the hiring manager, your chances fizzle out quickly.

Be Thankful and Organized

It might seem like these two are unrelated, but they are entirely intertwined. Ensure that you’re tracking who you interviewed and interacted with. Beyond the thank-you email that you should always send after an interview, consider some other ways to be an appreciative job seeker.

Have you followed up with the recruiter? If you haven’t heard from them within the specified amount of time, an organized job search ensures that you can follow up appropriately. You’ll connect to express your appreciation for the interview again and offer to supply any additional information they might require.

Being an Excellent Job Seeker Matters

There are endless ways to be an excellent job seeker and support the process from your end. The key is to focus on the areas where you know you can improve and make an effort to implement some changes. These small steps will add up and make a big difference in your job search success.