Upward and Onward: 7 Best Ways to Land Your Next Job

Looking for a new job can be an exhausting and discouraging task, especially seeing that the majority of them are not even advertised! But it doesn’t need to be all doom and gloom as there are many things that you can do to increase your chances of success.

From leveraging the power of a LinkedIn community to focussing on your personal development, here are 7 tips to help you land your next job and move upwards and onwards in your career.

1. Tap into your network

The first thing that you need to do is dive into your own network of friends and professional contacts. People are always willing to help out, so make a list of everyone that you know and tell those who may be able to help you out that you are looking for a new job. While the people in your network may not personally know of an available position, they may know someone who does. Hiring managers generally tend to look more favourably towards their own employees’ social networks as a referral is akin to an endorsement of a candidate’s abilities.

2. Polish your LinkedIn profile

According to Liz Ryan, the founder of the Human Workplace, LinkedIn is one of the most important portals of communication for job seekers as it is practically your online billboard. Given that many recruiters now turn to LinkedIn to discover new talents and research job candidates, it is essential that you polish your profile to the tee. It should have a descriptive headline, a professional photo, an engaging profile summary, a complete work history, recommendations and keywords that enable recruiters to discover you through LinkedIn’s search function. In addition, you should be adding new connections every week to expand your LinkedIn network. Why? Because the more people whom you are connected with in your LinkedIn network, the more visible you will be on the platform.

3. Join a LinkedIn community

Once you’ve polished up your LinkedIn profile, head over to a LinkedIn community group. With 2 million+ groups to choose from, each based on location, profession and industry, there is a LinkedIn community out there waiting for you. While you won’t land a job just from joining a group, partaking in group discussions and learning from other group members will expose you to new opportunities and help you to expand your LinkedIn network.

4. Meet people at events

Although social media presents some enticing opportunities to further your career, there’s just no substitute for meeting people the good old fashion way: face-to-face. Face-to-face  communication enables you to engage with people beyond the limitation of words and one inspiring interaction can leave an impression that is far more powerful than an entire thread of conversation via social media. It is because of this that trade fairs, conferences, events and workshops have been a popular way to meet people in the past and present. If you’re a shy person, they can also be a great way to focus on your personal development by pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone in an environment where people naturally want to meet new people.

5. Contact headhunters and recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies are particularly useful for those who are seeking entry-level positions, while headhunters are well-suited to those who possess a few years of experience. It’s especially handy to befriend several consultants as they are always in the know of the unadvertised jobs, and by the nature of their work, possess an expansive professional network. If you decide to work with a headhunter or recruitment agency, ensure that they clearly understand your career goals and that the both of you are on the same wavelength.

6. Uplevel your skills

Although it may seem counterintuitive, one of the best things that you can do when searching for a new job is to look inwards to your own personal development rather than looking outwards at what jobs are available. Scan through the job description of a position that you desire and you will find a list of requirements that the employer is looking for. Whether it is  being adaptable to change,  having an enterprising approach,  communicating with teams effectively,  problem solving or  presentation skills, identify the areas in which you are lacking, then take some  courses to make up for it. Studying and gaining accreditation in topics that an employer is looking for will make you a more suitable fit for the position. In addition, you will have some new knowledge and skills up your sleeve to help you work more efficiently and effectively in your next job!

7. Research the hiring manager

If you manage to land an interview, then the best thing that you can do is to research the hiring manager. Head to their LinkedIn and social media profiles to learn about their current role, professional background and if possible, their side-interests. The more that you know about them, the better you will be able to position yourself in the interview and build rapport with them.