Are you in the job market? A recent article from Ragan’s PR Daily highlighted nine job-hunting tips that millennials in the PR market can follow to help them get ahead. Combined with a good attitude, a little hard work and some perseverance and you’ll find something worth your while.
Take a minute to think about your career. Employers understand that the position you might take now won’t last your entire life. The important thing is to show drive while you are doing what you are doing. Know what you want your ideal position to look like and set goals to put yourself on a path to obtain that dream job.
Tell everyone you are looking for a job. Word-of-mouth is the best kind of advertisement for businesses and you. Marketing yourself and being proactive and networking can get you into a door you didn’t know existed. Have an elevator speech prepared (a 30 seconds or less statement to quickly and simply define you, what you are looking for and how you will add value) and practice it.
Pay attention to the job posting. Job postings are written with the intent of bringing in qualified people for a specific job. 1. Read the whole job listing, 2. Pay attention to the key words, 3. Quality over quantity. How can you solve the pain points the employer has? Writing your cover letter to specifically address the job posting will help you stand out of a stack of applications. Take a minute to proof read it (preferably let some one else proof read it) and compare it to the job posting.
Keep working. Just because you don’t have a current job doesn’t mean you can roll your sleeves down. If your answer to, “what have you been doing for the last 6 months?” is “nothing,” you aren’t really setting yourself up for success. “Looking for a job” doesn’t count either. Stay busy. Show you have drive and you are self motivated. Keep pushing out your information, work at home on quasi projects in order to build your portfolio and attend networking events. Even volunteer work will benefit you. If you do this for yourself with no direction, imagine what an employer will think you are capable of when you do have direction.
In the end you may spend a few months, countless hours, have hundreds of conversations and experience a few disappointments, but with some hard work and perseverance you’ll get that interview that will prove to be the beginning of something truly amazing.
How has your determination and perseverance paid off? We’d love to hear your success stories. Share some of your job-hunting stories and tips with us in the comment section.