Are you wondering how to get a job that offers a better salary, benefits, or challenges? Or are you facing layoffs in your company and want to be prepared in case the worst happens?
The era of the Great Resignation has seen millions of people voluntarily leaving their jobs for bigger and better opportunities — in part due to a huge shift in the labor market that was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are some signs that this trend is slowing down. In fact, a more recent trend is that many businesses are actually cutting jobs.
With the technology sector leading the way, U.S.-based firms announced 76,835 job cuts in November 2022. As job losses appear to be rising, it’s time for many employees to be thinking about their next career move.
How to find a job you love
1. Start preparing early
Before you hit the job boards, it’s time to lay some groundwork.
You will need to do some research into the current job market, especially if you have been in your current job for a few years. Scope job descriptions and companies you’d love to work for and work backward.
What qualifications, skills, and experience would you need to land that job? What skills or experience are you missing? Where can you fill those gaps? For example, if a lot of jobs in your industry are looking for experience with a particular piece of software, you can start by researching how to use it or potentially take some courses online.
2. Take on additional responsibilities at your current job
If you want to get a job with more responsibilities or a more senior position next time, you could start to see if you can take on more projects and responsibilities at your current workplace.
If you want to leave your job soon, it may not be best to volunteer for lengthy projects, but if you have the opportunity to expand your skills and experience in your current role, this could pay dividends for your career long term.
3. Seek out another role in your current workplace
You may even decide that there are better opportunities in your current company, either in a different department you’ve always been intrigued by or in a more senior position that’s more suitable for your skills and preferences.
In many cases, companies prefer to hire internally rather than find someone brand new, so you may have a better chance of landing a new job that way.
4. Improve your LinkedIn job profile
LinkedIn is increasingly used by recruiters and business owners to find top talent, so it’s well worth creating a profile if you don’t already have one.
If you already have one, make sure that your profile is detailed, carefully worded to show off your skills and experience, and looks professional. That means taking a clear, professional headshot and gathering endorsements and references from co-workers and managers.
Make sure you put down any qualifications you have as well as details about your experience and responsibilities at previous jobs.
5. Don’t wait until you meet all of the job criteria
For many organizations posting jobs, a job listing is more of a wish list than a strict set of requirements.
Some job seekers do themselves a disservice by only applying when they meet 100% of the requirements. Instead, you may find that organizations are willing to train people to fill in the skills or experience gaps. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and apply for that job because you never know where you’ll end up.
Even if you don’t get those jobs but do get to interview, you can pick up a lot of valuable information you could use in the future, such as the types of questions asked and details about company culture.
6. Start networking for jobs
Networking is an important part of building a career in most industries. By knowing the right people, you will often find that this opens more doors than scrolling through job boards and applying for a lot of jobs.
Spend some time reaching out to peers and people who inspire you on LinkedIn. If you feel confident enough, you could even head to an in-person networking event within your industry.
If you want to start small with online networking, try posting relevant insights or comments on things related to your area of expertise on LinkedIn and ask your network thought-provoking questions. This can get your profile seen and noticed by more people in your sector.
Remember to save for a rainy day
Times are tough for many people at the moment, and businesses are increasingly letting people go from their jobs. With that in mind, one of the best ways to protect yourself is to ensure you have a financial safety blanket to get you through it. Even if you believe yourself to be in a recession-safe industry or a business that’s fairing well, it’s still worth having an emergency fund set aside.
Potential job loss is one good reason to start an emergency fund, but this type of fund is useful for all sorts of eventualities. An emergency fund can help to protect you, not just in the event of job or income loss, but also for medical emergencies, sudden car or home repairs, or travel expenses.
The common rule of thumb is to save between three and six months of household expenses — this means three to six months of rent or mortgage payments plus bills and any other essential expenses just so you have the basics covered. However, anything you can save is better than nothing.
In the meantime, always be on the lookout for ways to improve your resume to increase your chances of landing your next great job.
