The active search for employment encompasses concepts and resources that we must manage to get a job . Some of them are the knowledge of the demands of the labor market, the identification of private and public resources for the job search, the learning of techniques to face a job interview , or the adaptation of the curriculum to the demands of diverse professional profiles.
On the other hand, the active search for employment also implies attitudes such as self-knowledge, motivation, self-confidence or planning and following an agenda and a strategy to find work.
On a practical level, some of the actions that we can relate to an active job search are:
- Work for yourself or someone else.
- Send resume .
- Do job interviews.
- Register as a job seeker with temporary employment agencies like Quality.
- Register as a job seeker with public employment agencies.
- Expand training.
Tips for an effective active job search
1. Plan
Finding work is not easy and can become tedious and exhausting. That is why it is easy that, despite our good intentions, we sometimes delay the moment of starting or that we do not do it correctly: we sign up for many portals and offers impulsively and, if we do not get results on the first day, we get frustrated . To avoid this, it’s best to follow a few basic steps and keep an agenda throughout your active job search.
2. Define your goals
Before starting the job search, ask yourself things like what kind of jobs interest you, what conditions would you be willing to accept, if mobility is part of your plans, etc. Being clear about your goals is the best way to start looking for a job.
3. Study the job market
Do you know how many companies in your sector operate in your city? Do you know the average salary of the position you are applying for and what requirements it requires? To know the situation of the labor market in your sector, you will have to carry out a little research that you should never see as a waste of time: on the contrary, it will help you better adapt to the demands of the market and increase your chances of success.
4. Select your search channels
Just as not all temporary employment agencies operate in the same sectors, not all job search channels offer the same opportunities. Our advice is that you analyze the ones that best suit you, evaluating those that may be more effective.
5. Update your resume
The resume is still a cover letter , which is why an active job search requires updating and adapting it based on the profile you opt for. The general advice is that you have several resumes emphasizing your strengths and in various formats according to the particularities that the offers in your sector may require.
6. Adapt your requests to the chosen channel
Each channel has its peculiarities and these can affect a first selection . Find out about the operation of each portal or metasearch engine and adjust your request to its requirements (language, format, documentation presented, etc.)
7. Submit your self-candidacy
Many companies are open to receiving applications for future selection processes. In fact, it is common that these organizations do not manage to publish job offers because when the time comes for the demand they already have profiles that adapt to their needs. To improve your active job search, we recommend that you make a list of these companies and send them your CV. Some will see your initiative as a positive value.
8. Learn more about the selection processes
Active job search is much more than just submitting a resume. After the initial pre-selection, a process begins that may include evaluations, psychometric tests, aptitude or language tests, individual or group interviews , telephone interviews, etc. Knowing each of the phases of the selection process will help you, when the time comes, to know how to face them with solvency.
9. Record your actions
If you are able to keep track of which companies you have sent your resume to and when , what offers you have signed up for or what type of contact and interactions you have established on channels like LinkedIn, you will be able to assess the response to your actions and, therefore, to what extent your search is being effective.
10. Do not be afraid to change your strategy
Active job search requires a defined strategy. But it is possible that it does not offer you the expected results. If so, consider making changes : you may have to sign up for a specific portal, improve points on your resume or plan your search based on the times when more offers are published.
We all face at some point in our lives the active search for employment to insert ourselves into the world of work for the first time, to reinsert ourselves after a time unemployed, to start a new professional career or to improve our current working conditions. Planning a job search takes effort and perseverance , but if you are able to develop your own strategy and follow it, it is easier for you to find options that fit your goals.
