You remember Goldilocks and her quest for the chair/porridge/bed that was “just right.” Career opportunities are similar. Your skillset may be broad, but your sweet spot is probably relatively narrow. While there are many job openings out there right now, not every job is the “just right” job for you. 

Here are a few helpful tips and ways to sort through the job listings and uncover the opportunities that will set you up for success.

Getting Past the Obvious

Broad-based job boards are fine, but they may not hone in precisely enough for you. Think about companies that appeal to your interests and search their internal website career pages. And be sure to scan their LinkedIn feeds to see what openings they’ve posted about recently.

Do an interest assessment or career quiz to discover jobs that may be an excellent fit for you.  You may find a type of job you didn’t know existed. And you may find the right fit that will help you grow and thrive in your career and life.

Think about what kind of company culture will fit your personality.  Knowing your preference for things like travel expectations, dress code and work-life balance will help you find a company that meets your employment need as well as your wellness needs.

Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) today.  Be sure that you’re submitting your information in the proper format for the right job when applying through an ATS.  TheMuse.com recently wrote an article on eight tricks to ensure your ATS applicant gets into the right hands! It’s worth a read!

Use Your Network

If you haven’t set up your LinkedIn profile yet, do it now and get connected professionally to people you know. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is a saying for a reason.  Recent surveys estimate that 85% of jobs are found through networking.

You’ll also be able to uncover who you may know (or who you may know that knows someone) working at a company you have an interest in, inquire & ask questions.  Don’t be afraid to ask a friend to introduce you to a connection who works in the industry or company you’re interested in. 

In the same way, use common connections between yourself and potential employers to your advantage; ask for referrals and references where possible. If you’ve shown interest and have done your homework to find the people you need to talk to, your top LinkedIn connectors can be an invaluable resource to help get a foot in the door.

The Era of Remote Work

With more and more positions moving to remote work, lots of job interviews turn to that method as well, so standing out in the interview is more crucial than ever.  The obvious first step of a remote interview is to make sure your technology is working ahead of time.  Once you’ve gotten over that hurdle, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Smile
• Take notes in a notebook vs. computer
• Ensure you have good lighting and no background noise/distractions
• Come prepared with questions, etc. just as you would for an in-person
• Be sure to listen closely and don’t interrupt your interviewer

Share examples of how working in a remote environment is something you can handle and why it’s a good fit for you.  Ensure the interviewer knows that you are aware of the balance required to work outside of a traditional office community.

Make sure your resume is ready, and your elevator pitch is perfected to wow the interviewers when it is time

Finding a job isn’t nearly as hard as finding the RIGHT job. Let DWI’s Job Seeker Accelerator roadmaps help you locate, prepare for and ultimately land your dream job:  https://dynamicinstitute.com/job-seeker-accelerator/