You've heard people say you should cast a wide net to improve your job search. So what does that mean exactly and how do you do it?
Increasing the possibilities of finding a fit and getting an offer is what drives this thought. How would you answer this question:
I am doing a thorough and diversified search which includes:
A) Searching for multiple job titles, some very different from what I did
B) Looking for jobs outside of the region
C) Pursuing opportunities in a different industry
D) All of the above
The correct answer is…D) All of the above.
SEARCHING FOR DIFFERENT JOB TITLES
This may require a little research first. If you haven't taken the skills assessment on O*Net, it is free and good. It will help you find and research occupations that might be of interest.
Ask people you know what they think you would be good at and what they do.
Go to indeed.com and enter in your favorite or greatest skill in the keyword search. (Take out the city, state search criteria) Spend some time readingwhat job titles come up and look for reoccurring patterns or repeating titles.
SEARCHING OUTSIDE THE REGION
Whatever your commutable preference is, enlarge it.
Ask recruiters if they have contacts in other cities they can connect you with.
Identify cities you think would have the greatest offerings or would be enjoyable to work in. Read survey results at Glassdoor.com Best Places to Work 2009; and Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For.
And take this fun survey at Find Your Spot and become exhilarated at the prospect of working and perhaps relocating to another great city.
Find connections on LinkedIn in these cities too.
Use your college alumni center to find other alumni in this area.
PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES
The trick is to find industries that hire similar occupations or functions AND to clearly link what you've done that is similar, whenever possible using their language/terminology.
O*Net can be of help here too.
What industries are ramping up their hiring or at least maintaining their growth? This can be regional, however, nationally, hiring in Health care, IT/Technology and Professional Services has been identified as having potential.
Once new industries have been identified, you will have to do some fact finding to learn about this new-to-you industry. Find industry publications, attend professional association meetings, find people to talk to who work in this industry.
Now you will need to re-vamp your resume to show the transferable skills and competencies. Omit jargon used in your old industry.
You may even want/need to sign up for some professional development in the areas you are weak or missing. Think about who might be in these classes you could connect with too!
The wider the net, the clearer the connection of skills, the greater the passion/interest, the greater your chances will be!
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
