Maybe the pandemic has inspired you to take a closer look at your career. With a new perspective, you’re ready for a change. But today’s hiring landscape is entirely different from what it used to be. And you might need some tips to help you find and apply for a new job in today’s environment. Here’s the candidate to-do list you need to ensure your job change is a successful one.
Getting Your Resume Together
One of the first steps involves getting your resume polished to share with hiring managers. And if you’re new to building a resume or it’s been a while since you last updated it, there are a few tips you should know. Remember, today’s employers are looking for great-fit candidates who not only possess the skills needed for the role but also are a great character addition to the team symmetry. When you apply for a new job, you’ll want to ensure your resume can demonstrate both.
Describing Your Expertise
When you apply for a new job, avoid lengthy and over-wordy descriptions of past experience. We live in a “skim and scroll” world now, so impressive stats and short blurbs are best to describe your expertise. Don’t forget to include any relevant soft skills you might possess, too, including negotiation, team-building, and communications. If there are any noticeable or obvious gaps in your work history, try to describe what you learned then, whether it was to be a stay-at-home parent or to enroll in continuing education.
Selling Yourself in a Relevant Way
Your resume should sell your skills and contributions in a relevant way. So, include a photo as well as your LinkedIn profile for hiring managers to see. Use bold headings to naturally draw the hiring manager’s eye down your roster of experience and achievements. Avoid overly decorative extras with your resume format that might detract from the information you’re trying to convey.
Knowing Where to Look for the Best New Job Opportunities
With your resume polished, you’re ready to begin your career search to apply for a new job. But there are so many job boards online it’s hard to know where to begin. And depending on the type of work you’re pursuing, there might be additional requirements to the application process or customized requests. Here are some helpful tips about where to find the best-fit career opportunities.
Online Job Boards
There are, of course, the most common job boards, like Indeed, Monster, and CareerBuilder. But if your ideal job is within a specific niche, there are likely job boards with niche openings. There are accounting job boards, IT and tech-related job boards, and sales communities to explore. See what marketplaces are available that speak to your ideal role and narrow your job search accordingly.
Passive Candidacy and Networking
In your career search, you might find a few companies that you’d love to work for, but they don’t have active job listings right now. Don’t be afraid to go ahead and submit your resume to these companies anyway. Oftentimes, hiring managers will keep great resumes on hand and reach out as new opportunities present. As a passive candidate now, you could find your resume at the top of the pile when new job openings do become available. And any growing company will always be on the lookout for top talent, likely to make room for key additions to their teams.
Interview the Company
Before you apply for a new job, don’t forget that you will need to do your homework to research the company first. Look for employee reviews and company information online. If there are red flags, you can avoid applying for the wrong-fit companies. And you’ll want to also be prepared to ask critical work-related questions either before or as part of your interviewing process as well to ensure you’re making the right career move.
Asking the Right Questions
When you’re connecting with the hiring manager, you’ll want to ask poignant questions about the role, including expectations, past employees performing the job, and ongoing support. You’ll also want to inquire about growth opportunities within the company to ensure you’ll be able to continue improving your skills and expertise.
Exploring Company Benefits
Aside from the job itself, you’ll need to make sure you understand the company’s culture. This includes inquiring about the available benefits. Ask about remote working, paid time off, and most importantly, health insurance. Many organizations are transitioning away from traditional group health plans and adopting the ICHRA model.Understanding these distinctions will tell you if you’ll be paying group plan premiums through the company or exploring your own enrollment with reimbursements.
Consider these preparation tips in preparing for a career change. And should you apply for a new job with a company that has an ICHRA platform, W3LL can help you navigate your next steps in choosing the right health plan for you.
