Tips for Applying to New Roles
It’s the beginning of a new year, and maybe this is the year that you’ve put “get a new job” on your to-do list. If this is you, or you’re just curious about improving your getting hired process, here are some tips for applying to new roles, which fall under two big categories: using your network, and following up.
Use Your Network
Yes, you have a network. If you’re very fortunate, you’re surrounded by people who can be helpful and useful to you in a job search. If you’re less naturally lucky, you can build a network of people who can be helpful and useful to you in a job search. You’d be surprised at how willing people are to help you in your endeavors, just ‘cause.
Tell people you are looking for a new role: Of course you should be cautious with how (if) you mention this to your boss or current co-workers, but definitely everyone else in your life should know that you’re potentially interested in something new. Better still if they have an idea of the type of position you’re interested in.
Ask for help: You should have friends/family/professional contacts look over your resume and offer feedback on clarity, organization, and spelling/grammar/typos. Schedule mock interviews or practice job talks — chances are, your current institution, or alma mater, or professional society offers this for free!
Find your “in”: If a friend, or a friend of a friend works at a place, or in a role that you’re looking at, reach out to them. Ask if they’re willing to chat at the very least, and if they can offer a referral at the very most.
Follow-up
This is such an under-rated way to set you apart in the job search process. People are so wrapped up in everything that they’re trying to accomplish that they overlook the small actions that can help them stand out.
Do your due diligence: If you’re getting an employee referral, send the person who referred you a note once you’ve submitted your application. If you’ve applied for a position through your network and you have an email for the hiring manager, send them an email to let you know that you’ve applied for the job, and to reiterate your interest in the role. This will likely prompt them to take a closer look at your application than they normally would, and perhaps sooner than they might have otherwise.
Send thank-you notes: Express gratitude to those who have given you their time throughout the process. This could include someone who referred you, someone you interviewed with, or someone who helped you prepare. It could be as simple as a note via email, or as elaborate as a gift (especially if someone in your network did a lot to help you out!)
Job searching is stressful, so take it slowly, and don’t be frustrated when companies ghost you, or you don’t get a position that you were really excited about, or if you find it’s taking a long time to land something. Sometimes it takes a while, but also make sure you are tweaking your strategy and asking for feedback where possible to make sure that the institutions that you are applying to are seeing the best version of you.
