Helpful Hints for Your Next Job Search

As a young woman working in the communications field for four years now, I have worked at three different companies. This is no longer your mother and father’s era of company loyalty. Sometimes to learn and grow you need to move jobs. Working in this day and age there is no guarantee the company you work for will keep you for 15 years like they did your parents. So how do you prepare yourself if you notice a stall in your career growth? Or if you’re like me, how do you stave off the boredom that eventually ensues? Well, the excitement and uncertainty of finding a new job may just be the trick.

The following has helped me be the proverbial “grasshopper” and jump from job to job without a hitch:

1. Keep your resume up-to-date

• Yes, this is a given, but it’s a necessity to maintain your resume as you continue to make strides in your career. Say you lead a successful launch of a campaign – it is a lot easier to put it down on paper with the launch fresh in your mind than trying to recall it six months later for the resume update.

2. Update your Linkedin profile and request recommendations

• As with your resume, keep your Linkedin profile up-to-date. In this age of technology, recruiters and HR representatives are definitely looking at your Linkedin profile. With that being said, keep it updated by also asking for recommendations on your work. I would recommend requesting recommendations from former co-workers and if you are currently connected with co-workers at your present job, feel free to ask them for recommendations after the completion of large projects.

• A tip of the trade with recommendations is to try and avoid overloading on the recommendations all at the same time. You know that one co-worker who is all up in everyone else’s business, and for some reason they love to stalk your Linkedin profile, well they will take notice and they are not known for keeping their mouths shut and will begin to raise suspicions to your colleagues about your loyalty to the company (oh yes, I have learned this the hard way).

3. Limit/edit your social media output

• If you don’t think potential managers are looking you up on Facebook and Twitter, you are sorely mistaken. So do what I do when searching for a new job: deactivate your Facebook account. Believe me, you won’t miss out on what is happening, just make sure you let some of your friends know that you are leaving Facebook for a short time and to ensure that they call/text you more (crisis averted).

• As for Twitter, either block your tweets or delete your account. If you cannot bear to delete your account temporarily I would recommend doing a tweet audit and delete those specific tweets that may not be kosher in your hunt for a new job.

After taking these very basic steps into account you should be able to hit the ground running and begin searching for that new job which will start a new chapter of your career. I have been able to successfully move forward and upward in my career journey and so will you. All the best of luck!