I’ve talked with a ton of candidates lately who are feeling overwhelmed by the current job market and their lack of traction with interviews. It is 100% understandable to feel a little down or discouraged when you aren’t feeling the love back when submitting your applications.
“Focus on what you can control” is a mantra we try to live by daily, but especially in times of frustration or uncertainty. I share this with candidates consistently because in job searching, there are a lot of variables we don’t always have the most control over. It can be very helpful to put your effort and attention into the pieces you CAN control. Let’s talk about a few of these areas and some tips for each one.
REVIEW FREE RESOURCES
There are an endless number of completely free resources available to job seekers and I encourage you to really take advantage of these. At PharmaFinders we have a variety of templates, guides, articles, sample questions, and more available for free on our website under the resources and blog sections.
There are also a number of other recruiters, consultants, podcasts, societies, and associations that have helpful content that can be useful for whatever stage of job searching you might be in. Google and LinkedIn are your friends!
RESUME
This is not a new focus area, but one that I highly encourage you to re-evaluate during down time in your job search. Especially if you can’t seem to get an initial hit when you’re applying for jobs- your resume might be the issue. It could be formatting, it could be content, or lack of tailoring.
We have a deeper dive on this specific topic in the blogs linked here, here, and here.
LINKEDIN PROFILE
Another area that can be often overlooked is your LinkedIn profile. This is likely one of the first things someone will look up when you’re interviewing, so you want it to be in great shape, and to make sure it mirrors the experience on your resume. Recruiters (both internal and external) use LI as a major tool, so if you’re updating your profile, using the “open to work” feature, it can alert them you’re in the market and may increase your chances of getting seen.
We have a blog that does a deeper dive on this topic here.
COVER LETTER
While cover letters aren’t always required, they can be a really “nice to have” for a candidate. Especially if you have any gaps, untraditional background for the role you’re applying for, or less obvious experience you want to make sure to highlight. A great cover letter can add context and a bit of personality to supplement your resume.
If you’d like more info on this, here’s a blog and we’ll be releasing a free resource for this next month, so keep an eye out!
NETWORKING
While networking might be the LAST thing you feel like doing when you’re not getting traction, it can be one of the most helpful things you can do. Not all jobs get posted online, often, a company will ask their employees or network who they know, so it’s important to keep yourself top of mind. Recruiters are a great (free) resource for candidates, so make sure you’re networking with recruiters who are working in the space you’re looking. They might not have something for you right that second that is a fit, but it’s a great connection to have for the future, and who knows what might come available for the future.
For additional tips on this topic check out this blog for in-person networking, and this blog focuses more on virtual networking.
As always, wishing you the absolute best in your job search!
-Crecia