New year, new job? If that’s been your mantra as you ring in 2019, it’s time to take some steps towards ensuring you have a productive year. Whether you’re just setting out on your search now, or you’ve been looking for some time, the right goals will help job seekers like you in the job search.
What kinds of goals should you be setting? Take a look at some of these suggestions to get inspiration.
Look for Jobs That Will Make You Happy
If you decided to leave your last job because you were unhappy there, one of the goals you should set is to look for a job that truly makes you feel satisfied.
It can be difficult to judge how a job is going to make you feel before you’ve actually started it. The best way to do this is to think about your passions. What do you like to do? It may not be practical to pursue becoming a professional soccer player, but if you like crunching numbers, a job in bookkeeping or accounting might be the right choice for you.
You should also think beyond the tasks you’ll be expected to perform. What kind of environment do you thrive in? Some people love the office environment. Others are competitive, while some want team efforts. Still others prefer to work in isolation as much as possible.
The job you choose should reflect your passions, aspirations, and needs. You’ll be a lot happier that way.
Create a Job Search Checklist
There are many tasks job seekers need to carry out before they begin their job search. Have you updated your resume? Your social media may also need revising before prospective employers look at it.
Create a checklist of the things you want to do before you start your job search. This should include making a plan to conduct the search, as well as tasks like auditing your social media, cleaning it up, and updating your LinkedIn profile. Your resume and cover letter will also need some polishing.
Network More
As much as today’s jobs require skill and talent, there’s still something to be said for the power of networking. You’ll still need education, experience, and enthusiasm to land a job, but finding the ideal job opportunity could come down to who you know.
Expanding your professional network is a great idea. It can serve you well even after you’ve ended your job search, so keep this one near the top of your priority list.
Learn a New Skill
If you’ve been searching for a job for some time, but you’re not getting any interviews, it could be time to expand your skill set. Maybe you’d like to expand in a new career direction, so your skills better match what employers are looking for. You may even decide to update some of your existing skills.
Learning new skills will serve you well as you seek out new employment, and it will serve you once you’ve landed a role. In fact, it’s a good idea to make it a goal to keep learning new skills throughout your career.
Expand Your Job Search Options
Job seekers tend to go with the tried and true when they conduct their search. You might be using LinkedIn or big job boards to find work opportunities.
There may be other options you’ve missed. One might be joining a talent community. Another could be working with a staffing agency like Liberty Staffing. We can help you find more opportunities and tailor your search to find the jobs you want.
Practice Patience and Persistence
Even in a candidate driven market, finding a job can be difficult. Job seekers need to be both patient and persistent. Using the goals above will help you make the job search easier and more enjoyable. You can make 2019 your most productive year yet!
