Tag Archive for: Can’t Find a Job

5 Tips When You’re Struggling to Find a Job

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Are you feeling overwhelmed by the current job market? You’re not alone. Finding a job may take longer as job seekers face increased competition for a select number of available roles. This is due to a decrease in job openings, economic uncertainty, and budget constraints. It can feel like a daunting process, but with the right strategies, you can stand out and secure a position that fits your skills and ambitions.

Job searching isn’t just about finding the right position; it’s also about maintaining a positive mindset and resilience. The process can be long and challenging, but staying optimistic keeps you motivated. When you approach each opportunity with enthusiasm, employers notice your energy and passion. Even if you face setbacks, remember that each rejection brings you closer to your ideal role. With persistence and determination, you’re more likely to succeed in your job search.

In this blog, we will cover 5 practical job search tips to help you stay focused, build resilience, and increase your chances of success.

1. Develop Your Personal Brand

Developing a strong personal brand is crucial for effectively communicating your value to future employers. Why? Because your personal brand is your professional identity, and it sets you apart from other candidates with similar qualifications. By writing how you talk, you not only showcase your personality but also create a more genuine connection with potential employers. To begin crafting your personal brand, consider sharing your background and expertise in a way that highlights your unique experiences and achievements. This could be through an engaging LinkedIn profile, engaging with industry content on social media, and commenting on posts from leaders in your field. Building a strong personal brand can open doors to new job opportunities and help you make a lasting impression on potential employers.

2. Ask for Help

In your job search, don’t underestimate the power of asking for help and connecting with industry professionals. Tapping into the hidden job market can significantly enhance your chances of finding the right opportunity. Many employers prefer filling positions through referrals rather than publicly posting every opening. By actively networking and reaching out to people in your desired field, you can gain insights and access to unadvertised roles, ultimately giving you a competitive edge. Also, don’t be afraid to tell others you are open to work. You never know who might have a lead or can introduce you to someone in their network.

3. Be Strategic in Your Job Search

A targeted approach to job searching can save you time and energy. Instead of applying to every job opening, take the time to understand if a role truly aligns with your career goals and personal values. Prioritize quality over quantity by targeting positions that match your skills and interests, rather than spreading yourself too thin. Setting clear objectives will help guide your efforts, making each application more impactful and purposeful. By focusing on roles that genuinely fit you, you’ll not only increase your chances of landing a fulfilling job but also ensure that your career trajectory remains on the right track.

4. Explore Contract Roles

Exploring contract roles can be a game-changer for your career. These roles offer the unique opportunity to gain diverse experiences and develop new skills in real-world settings, which can significantly enhance your professional profile. Far from being limited to entry-level positions, contract roles are available across a wide range of industries and skill levels, providing an excellent platform for seasoned professionals to showcase their expertise. Additionally, many contract positions can serve as gateways to permanent job offers, allowing you to transition seamlessly into full-time opportunities. By pursuing contract roles, you open doors to valuable industry exposure and networking, laying the groundwork for a successful and dynamic career path.

5. Set Up Job Alerts

Job alerts are a powerful tool for anyone struggling to find the right job. By setting up job alerts, you can receive timely notifications about positions that match your criteria, ensuring that you never miss out on potential prospects. These alerts save you time by eliminating the need to constantly search job boards, letting you focus your energy on crafting compelling applications. Customize your alerts to include specific industries, companies, and job titles. With job alerts, you can be among the first to apply, increasing your chances of standing out to employers. Start leveraging this feature today, and take the proactive step towards securing your dream job.

Getting Started

Finding a job in today’s market may feel challenging, but with the right mindset, strategies, and tools, you can overcome obstacles and land your ideal role. Focus on building your personal brand, seeking support, and being strategic to enhance your job search. Keep an open mind and stay persistent, and you’ll be on your way to a successful career in no time. Remember, finding the right job takes time and effort – but with confidence and determination, you can achieve your goals. Let us help you find your next job opportunity. Contact us today to get started.

Getting Back into Job Hunting When It’s Been A While

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Job and career changes can happen for any number of reasons. Whether it be a geographic move, a change in interests or turnover in leadership at your current position, people change roles and career paths all the time. However, if you leave a job that you’ve been in for a number of years it can be overwhelming to find yourself back on the job market.

We’ve helped plenty of workers make job and career changes successfully. Here are some of the ways we advise our job seekers to find their next dream job.

Start strategizing

Job hunting needs to be an organized task that gives you a clear path to success. One way to start is by forming a list of your ideal employers. This helps you prioritize your interests and your search. Speaking to anyone you know at these places is more effective than sending applications online. You will be more likely to get your resume in front of the right person via a networking connection than an online application, so be strategic about where you look and who you know.

Mine your network and use technology

Now is not the time to be embarrassed about getting back in touch with old colleagues, friends, and family. You need to reestablish connections and reactivate your network. Job seekers are often pleasantly surprised at the willingness of others, even people they haven’t spoken to in a while, to help someone meet the right person or apply to the right position.

You especially want to make contacts at your desired employers to learn more about organizational culture, job responsibilities and other folks you should be meeting. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, you should start one immediately. Networking in this era is done in large part on social media and it can be a powerful tool when used properly.

Informational interviews benefit all

Informational interviews seem daunting but are well worth your while. A lot of these can be done via cold calls, which many people find intimidating. If you can overcome this reluctance to connect with someone at a desirable company, you will almost certainly be pleased with the results.

Use the opportunity to ask questions about the company’s culture, challenges, expectations, and other traits. Most importantly, you must resist the temptation to sell yourself at these meetings. You are there to learn about the company and if you oversell yourself it can be off-putting to your contact. Your contact is also there to learn, and they will quickly think of any roles that could be a fit for you if your skills are applicable. There is no need to be too upfront about describing your value.

People who have been off the market for some time can have a hard time getting back into “job hunting mode,” but this doesn’t need to be the case. If you are strategic and willing to put yourself out there, you can quickly land your next dream job.

Let Award Staffing help you with this transition time in your life. Browse our job opportunities today so that you can find your future.

Can’t Find the Jobs in Minneapolis that You Want?

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Plain and simple – being rejected while you look for work in Minnesota hurts. In many situations, job seekers spend time feeling angry and offended about not receiving a specific job. All too often in the job hunt, neglecting to reflect why you were not chosen for a new job ultimately means you’re missing out on an opportunity for personal growth.

Taking a moment to reflect can allow you to be more effective the next time when applying for a job. If you have been rejected for jobs that you’re clearly capable of holding, below are a few tips and trick for improving your chances the next time you apply for a job in Minnesota.

Showcasing Your “Essential Skills” –

Traditionally, when submitting your resume companies in the Twin Cities wouldn’t even look at your resume unless they have the required abilities to perform the job. If you do have the desire skills needed for the job the key is to clearly, list them out on your job application to have the best chance of grabbing the hiring manager’s interest.

But a more significant miss by job seekers in the Twin Cities is failing to prove that they have the ideal Essential Skills for the job. This intern can lead companies to skip your resume. A recent study revealed that a job seeker Essential Skills account for 85 percent of an individual’s success at their job. The results are that Minnesota based companies are currently spending more time measuring these skills.

Do you feel that your resume never makes it to the intended person? It is best that you take some time and review its content to find out if you’re currently discussing your past work experience in addition to your Essential Skills. If not, then it is time to get a resume overhaul.

Which “Essential Skills” to Show on Your Resume –

While every job is different, even if the position titles are similar, the specific skills are universal. If you are not currently finding explicit references the employer is looking for, consider including details. In most circumstances, Minnesota companies are going to have two priorities: communication and teamwork.

Communication:

Pretty much any job that you will have in your life will require you to be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and written, with other team members, company leaders, or most importantly with customers. In your job search, it is crucial that you know how to manage these interactions if you want your application to stand out.

Teamwork:

Collaboration with your co-workers is vital to your success, your co-workers, and most important the businesses. Hiring Managers want to see if you can prove that you can support your co-workers in achieving group goals. Showing that you can work well and active collaborator in groups in a work environment is critical.

Flexibility and Positivity:

If you are born and raised in Minnesota, you know what “Minnesota Nice” is. What most people don’t tell you about Minnesota Nice is about being flexible –  an ability to adapt in changing and fast-paced work environments. Minnesota based companies always want to embrace the notion of Minnesota Nice – having a positive attitude goes a long way because companies don’t want to hire someone who is consistently negative or general pessimistic.

We get it, a number of these Essential Skills are subjective, offering examples and during your interview which reveals how you use these traits in your job search can help you stick out to any company around the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas.

If you are seeking a new job opportunity, the professionals at Award Staffing can connect you with top employers in the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas. Contact us to see how our current Light Industrial job openings can help you land a new job in Minnesota fast. Looking for other ways to learn When Work Works – visit our blog