How to Kickstart Your Career
Jumping into a new career can be intimidating, but find peace knowing that everyone has been in your shoes at one point in their career. Read below for our tried and true methods!
Starting Point
We all have to start somewhere. If you feel like you don’t have any work experience, there are many different ways you can gain tangible skills. Some include mentorships, internships, classes, group projects, sports or really any kind of opportunity that exposes you to certain skill sets. Whether you are graduating college or are trying to jump into a new career, you have acquired various life experiences that can be transferred to your next opportunity.
Understand your Skills
Understanding what you are good at will help you figure out what kind of role will best suit you. Being aware of your knowledge and skill set can help you highlight the value you can bring to the table. Are you good at talking to people and are you competitive? Then sales or recruiting might be for you. Are you more analytical? Then a less customer-facing industry may be for you. Are you caring and love all things medical? Then a career in the healthcare field may be for you. Using your skills to your advantage is what makes you thrive in your field.
Optimize LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the business world’s most powerful resource when it comes to finding talent and filling roles. It is very important to have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile to increase online visibility. Being active on LinkedIn and building a network will help you come across more opportunities. Furthermore, having your profile set to “open to work” will help recruiters find you in their LinkedIn searches. In order to do this, simply go to your profile page and hit the button that says “open to”. After that, all you have to do is put the jobs you are open to and whether you are immediately looking for work or you are just casually looking.
Network
Building your network is extremely important because having connections is one of the best things you can do to build your career. Make sure to optimize local networking events in your field or find a business group in your area. You never know who in your network will help you find your next job.
Update your Resume and Profiles
Make sure your resume is readily available and updated at all times of the job search. Something to keep in mind when writing a resume or cover letter is to make sure there are keywords on your resume. Employers look for specific keywords and having them on your resume could make or break it. Use verbs that show what you did and include numbers and accomplishments from previous roles to show the impact you made during your time in the role.
Reach out to Recruiters and Staffing Firms
Utilizing these resources is extremely important. People are highly skilled and experts at finding perfect roles for candidates. An initial call will help them get a grasp of what you are looking for and can help you better prepare for the interview process. If you are applying for a job on LinkedIn, you can sometimes see who the recruiter for that particular role is. Reach out to them after you apply to express your interest and to see if they need anything else from you.
Practice
Being prepared for interviews and practicing can help you remember what you want to say and most importantly eliminate nerves. Interviewing can be intimidating but practicing will help you show confidence in yourself as a business professional. Before going into your interview, roll your shoulders back, take 3 deep breaths and go in and crush it!!
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We hope that after reading these tips and tricks you can be confident and excited about new opportunities in the workforce. Finding a job takes time. Be patient, be yourself, and stay prepared and you will thrive.