Effective Job Hunting Tips that Will Make You Look Like a Pro

Effective Job Hunting Tips that Will Make You Look Like a ProYou can look like a real professional when job hunting by mastering a few key elements of your search.

To increase your chances of landing a job, here are some top job-hunting tips to consider:

1. Build a strong reference list. Make sure to include valuable references. Don’t forget to explain your connection to each person, and how your references are familiar with your work. You can also share information such as your references’ current roles and how long they have known you.

2. Give your references a heads-up. Don’t list a reference without contacting them beforehand—Ask their permission before you include them in your list. Once they approve, provide them with any necessary updates before the hiring manager contacts them. You may want to reach out to your references again when you’ve reached the final stages of the interview process. (Don’t forget to inform them about important new skills and qualities that connect directly to the position you’re applying for.)

3. Get a decent business card. Business cards are a great tool you can use while you’re networking and meeting new people in the industry you’re interested in. Business cards can be ordered from a variety of online services for just a few dollars. Choose an all-purpose business card with your name, number, email address and LinkedIn profile URL.

4. Check your voicemail. Have you set up voicemail for business-related calls? If so, how does it sound? Will your hiring manager get the wrong impression if he or she is sent straight to your voicemail? Use a professional greeting that includes your name, and thank the person for calling.     

5. Be responsive. Regularly check your emails or voicemails so that you can respond quickly to interested companies. It’s best to reply to calls within 24 hours to show your interest in job openings.

6. Don’t forget to say thank you. Always follow-up with a thank you after networking with people. Thank them for their time and all the information you got during the conversation. Make them feel appreciated. It isn’t always easy to talk to new people, especially if the conversation is related to your career.

With these tips, you can search with confidence and work like a professional while looking for a job.

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.