University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
The Ultimate Job Search Guide
Article

The Ultimate Job Search Guide

Literally Everything You Need to Know to Land a Job You’ll Love

Jaclyn Westlake
The Muse, 2020
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Well Structured
  • For Beginners

Recommendation

Finding a new job is hard. The average worker competes against hundreds of other applicants, and getting noticed is tough. For those who are floundering, wondering where to even begin, calm yourselves with insight from seasoned career adviser Jaclyn Westlake. Her guide to a successful job search is both easy to follow and comprehensive. Skim through the usual advice to find helpful gems, including strategies on how to get your resume seen by a person, not a robot. Job seekers who are early in their careers or reentering the workforce after some time away could learn a bit from Westlake.

Summary

Make focused goals when seeking a new job.

What are your priorities? Put the following factors in order of what matters most to you to what matters least: organizational culture, advancement opportunities, salary and benefits, a stable workplace, and your desired amount of responsibility.

Depending on your answers, you can more easily decide if a position at somewhere like a large corporation or rapidly evolving start-up might be a better fit.

Don’t forget to picture your ideal job responsibilities, as well. Discover what excites you by browsing descriptions on current openings.

Customize your resume and cover letter to flaunt your best accomplishments.

Create a basic one-page template of both documents to be efficient, but adjust them to match each unique role. Optimize for key words common to your desired industry, make references that show you know the company and use active verbs. Have four to eight bullet points for each job listed on your resume. Address your cover letter to a specific hiring manager and keep it down to two or three paragraphs. Don’t forget to proofread.

Spruce up your LinkedIn profile and lock down other...

About the Author

Jacyln Westlake is a former agency recruiter and human resources manager with ten years of experience. She’s now a freelance writer and career adviser.

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