Unconventional Tips for Job Seekers

3 Unconventional Tips for Job Seekers

By Read Dive 3 years ago
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Scour the job boards. Update your resume. Optimize for keywords.

Yada, Yada, Yada.

When it comes to job-seeking tips, you’ve heard them all before, and yet, you’re still on the hunt for your dream job.

You want an ideal position based on your unique skills and interests. So what you need is a more unconventional approach to the job search.

That’s what we’re giving you here in this guide. Instead of the typical advice you’ve heard a thousand times, these tips are outside-of-the-box ways to approach the next step on your career path.

1. Think Big

You don’t want to spend too much time waiting for the perfect job to fall in your lap. On the other hand, many people are so busy doing work they’re unhappy with that they never have a chance to find their passion.

As you look for and accept jobs, think of the big picture.

How will your choice help or hurt your future?

Can staying in your current position be a springboard for other, better jobs later?

Should you be passing up lesser-paying opportunities in the hopes your dream job will show up?

Yes, you should expect to work your way up the chain of command. We all start in an entry-level job somewhere unless we have connections helping us. And even if you can skip out on the menial labor, the skills you learn there are invaluable enough to do it anyway.

As you look at job opportunities, take a look at what the position will teach you and open you up for. The short-term factors are important, but the big picture advantages are where your focus should be.

2. Learn EQ Skills

Most of our education is spent building our IQ. Your intelligence is important, especially if you’re in a knowledge-filled job like healthcare.

To land that position and do it well, you also must have emotional intelligence (EQ) skills.

EQ takes human emotions and applies them in a science-based approach. Strong leaders have good EQ skills, making others want to trust in them and follow their instructions.

These traits come in handy when you’re in the midst of the interview process. EQ training teaches you the difference between behaviors with subtle nuances. In an interview, this could be something like confidently sharing your accomplishments versus boasting over them.

Other integral EQ skills that will help you on your career search include:

  • Listening to hear the other person’s thoughts rather than waiting for a pause so you can respond
  • Recognizing your weak areas as well as your strengths
  • Learning to respond instead of reacting (responses are thought-out; reactions are emotionally-based)
  • Understanding the importance of empathy in the work environment
  • Improving your social skills and interpersonal communication capabilities

While these are all human traits, they aren’t all innate. So, if you struggle with your emotional intelligence, but your IQ is above average, we have good news.

If you approach learning the emotional aspect of people like you did in your medical textbooks, you’ll have superior EQ levels in no time. Reputable programs through places like Harvard Business School Online offer courses to help you succeed.

By growing your EQ habits, you’ll see every sector of your life improve, including your job searches.

3. Be Proactive

In today’s competitive world, you can’t turn in an application and a resume, then sit back and relax.

Employers want to know that you have initiative and drive. When an applicant sits passively by and waits for an email or phone call, it says a lot about their work effort.

But as the person who initiates contact, you’re telling hiring managers that you are proactive.

Show Off Your Interview Skills

When they know you’re not a pushover, they’re going to have more respect for you. There are a few things you can do to be proactive during the interview process, as well.

Research the company ahead of time and learn their goals and mission statement. Come up with questions that show you’re interested in the company as a whole, not just the current position.

Find out what benefits are offered alongside the salary, and ask for a copy of the basic contract. Run it by an expert contract reviewer to see if there are any areas you can negotiate.

You might be excited about the job and ready to accept the position as soon as it’s offered. By asking for time to look the contract over, though, you make a better impression on the manager.

And as a plus, you can check over the details and compare them with your big picture goals.

Conclusion

There’s nothing wrong with using conventional methods in a job hunt. Tips like showcasing your skills and preparing for interview questions are smart ideas.

On top of those basic suggestions, include these three unconventional approaches. You’ll be out of the seeking stage and into your next job before you know it.

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