You want to find a new job and need a tip or two for a successful job search? Then you are absolutely right here! Job advertisements are a dime a dozen - but only very few correspond to what you personally imagine a "good job" to be.
But fortunately, there are some tips and approaches that can significantly increase the likelihood of a truly successful job search. It doesn't even matter whether you're in career orientation, simply longing for a career change - nor whether you're 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 years old or a career changer.
In this article, I would like to give you some universal, helpful tips that will make any job search much easier. And who knows: maybe you'll even pave the way to your dream job. Let's go!
Here you can find a short overview in advance:
- Be clear about what you are looking for
- Develop your application documents
- Create meaningful profiles in social professional networks
- Build your own network
- Search specifically for suitable tasks
- Let others search for you and find you
- Get to know the company of your choice
- Always save the job description
- Don't say yes to the first job offer
- Always view rejections as an opportunity for optimization
1. be clear about what you are looking for
Which tasks fulfill me? How long can the commute be? What do I expect from my salary? What should my working hours be so that I still have enough time for my family and friends? What drives me to look for a new job?
Ideally, if you want to find your dream job, you should answer these questions clearly and honestly. In the end, it should be about working with joy, earning enough money and creating value for others.
"Choose a job you love and you'll never have to work again."
Confucius (more at Confucius Quotes)
To get the job of your dreams, I can give you the book "Mission Traumjob" recommend that you here you get*. With this guide, you are guaranteed to find the job that best suits you.
Regardless of this, however, I would advise you in principle to write down your most important personal criteria and to evaluate every job posting accordingly. Only when all or very many aspects ideally match your expectations is it worth applying!
Tip: When does a job make me happy? In the linked article you will learn exactly what happiness and joy at work depend on.
2. prepare your application documents
Of course, for a successful job search, you also need - in the classic way - meaningful application documents. These are generally composed as follows:
- Cover letter
- Letter of motivation
- Resume
- Testimonials, work samples, references, etc.
From these documents a kind of "employee profile" of you, so to speak. What is your professional background? What are your strengths? What drives you to apply to the company in question? And how can you help the company? With the right answers, you'll usually already get the proverbial "Foot in the door" - and you will be invited for an interview.
With full conviction I can also give you the Application guide "The perfect application" by Matthias Brandt* recommend.
Important: Be aware that some employers have requirements for the application documents that differ from the classic model.
3. create meaningful profiles in social professional networks
With your application documents, you have already compiled the most important facts about yourself as an employee. Now it's time to reach as many people as possible, ideally recruiters, in order to increase your chances of getting a job. To do this, create profiles in professional networks such as XING or LinkedIn - or on other, industry-specific platforms - which describe you in the best possible way and make you interesting for other companies.
Profile picture, job wishes, short description, career, skills and knowledge, interests and hobbies, qualifications, languages, awards... all these things belong in a promising profile.
4. build your own network
If you are looking for a new job, in many cases you can manage without direct contacts and the so-called "vitamin B". However, you will make your job search much easier, if you are communicative and know many peoplewho can help you further.
Over the course of your career, this network forms around you pretty much automatically. Among other things, it consists of colleagues or even old business partners and service providers with whom you have worked in the past. But actively visiting job fairs and job exchanges or participating in similar career events will also expand your professional network.
Either way, use the good connection and benefit from the contacts in your environment to find a suitable position for you. Everyone knows someone who knows someone who knows someone.... They can put in a good word for you and recommend you to others.
5. search specifically for suitable tasks
As a job seeker you must of course do something yourself for your professional happiness. In the rarest of cases, your dream job simply flies to you. Therefore, actively search for exciting job postings that match your expectations!
The best places to start, in addition to traditional newspaper ads and job fairs, are Job portals like Indeed, Stepstone or also the job search platform of the Federal Employment Agency. But also on XING, LinkedIn and others Professional networks employers and employees find each other.
Basically, I advise you to look at the Keywords that best describe your career aspirations. You then enter these, in combination with the respective location, into the respective search engine of the job portals.
Very well work, of course, the Filter functions that take you directly to your preferred industry and confront you only with the job postings that are most likely to interest you.
But maybe you already have a concrete company in view? Then find out about open positions directly on the company website, by phone or by e-mail. A convincing speculative application can also open the door to your dream company.
6. let others search for you and find you
In addition to actively looking for a job, you can also increase the likelihood of doing so, that your dream job comes to you almost passively and automatically! It is much easier to find a new job if you let yourself be found. If you have created meaningful profiles in social professional networks, you have also already created the basis for being found.
With the help of the individually adjustable, digital "job agents Some job boards and career sites (a kind of search function with automatic notification) can save you a lot of time and stress in your job search. There you get every day the latest job offers that match your wishes, directly to your mailbox.
For this purpose, you simply have to specify, for example, occupational fields, place of work or even more specific requirements such as working time model and the exact job title.
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24/7 time management15 € -
Notebook20 €
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The 4-hour week11 €
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Rich Dad Poor Dad15 €
7. get to know the company of your choice
The Job advertisement and the company's own career page usually provide a lot of information about your potential employer. But all of them were created by the company itself. You will rarely find critical voices and opinions here.
If you want to successfully search for a new job, you should therefore also read the opinions on Employer:inside platforms, like Kununu take into account. There you will find out first-hand whether the company you are considering is really that great - namely from applicants and employees.
Again, be sure to use the social professional networks to make your search for the ideal job easier. On the one hand, you will of course find proprietary company profiles, such as here from Swiss Life Germany on LinkedIn.
On the other hand, simply talk to the people on XING, LinkedIn and the like.who already work for the company in question. After all, that's what social networks are for, isn't it? 🙂
8. always save the job description
As a general rule, you should always save job postings that you have applied for. Because at the latest before the job interview, you should take another look at the recall the exact requirements of the job.
Advertisements on the Internet have the decisive disadvantage that they disappear as soon as a company has found enough applicants. That is why I advise you to not only always save to favorites, but also take screenshots of it. If you want to find a new job, this increases your chances immensely!
9. don't accept the first job offer directly
You have an acceptance? That's wonderful news - and confirmation that you're in demand. However, if this doesn't happen to be your absolute dream jobDespite all the euphoria, you should not accept the offer directly.
After all, new job offers are a dime a dozen - and other companies also have great jobsthat can meet all your requirements. If you still have a little time, you should therefore wait a little longer - perhaps you will receive an acceptance letter that really inspires you.
10. always view rejections as an opportunity for optimization
Even the best sometimes get a rejection - and of course you're allowed to be disappointed. But they are not a personal attack on you. If they justified understandably rejections are a great opportunity to do better the next time you try. If you haven't received helpful feedback, be sure to ask for it.
"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."
Marcus Aurelius (more at Optimism Quotes)
Every experience makes you richer. Optimize your application following the constructive criticism and stay positive in your attitude. Experience shows that this always helps to find a new job.
Find a new job, made easy!
The job search can be stressful here and there, of course - but there are countless ways to make it more enjoyable and promising. Here you have learned the most valuable tips for the job search.
Be aware of what you are looking for! Develop a meaningful application profile and try to reach as many people as possible with it. Stay informed, use search filters and automatic notifications - and view rejections as opportunities.
Then, when the interview comes around, be aware that your skills are in demand on the job market. Don't make yourself smaller than you are, but be prepared for the usual interview questions. Be interested, passionate, attentive and polite. These valuable, human, positive character traits open many doors in your life - both professionally and privately.
In addition to these application tips, there are also the following articles in the blog, which should basically help you in your professional life:
Do you have any questions, suggestions or further tips for a successful job search? Then just write me a comment.
Good luck and stay motivated,
PS.: You work in an office? Then you should definitely read the blog article "Easy on the eyes at the screen" read to stay focused and healthy for the long term.
