Written By:  Robyn Shulman

It is a competitive, tough job market out there, but with a few tips, you may land a job much sooner than anticipated. I have been working in the education and career/advising field for over 6 years now, and I hope I can help you by sharing these top 10 tips!

1.  Stay Positive-Your mood matters, and it attaches to everything and everyone around you. No matter how long you have been out of work, keep your spirits up and keep going. Do not give up.

2.  Network, network, network…especially via LinkedIn. If you are not on LinkedIn, you should set up an account as soon as possible.  Create the best profile you can, use strong words, put yourself in the best light (but don’t lie).  Start reaching out to those you know and build your network. Search for people within your career field and/or interest and invite them to join your network. You will be surprised at how many amazing people you can meet, and how many recruiters may find you.

3.  On Linked In, join groups that you are interested in. However, don’t just join them…show your stuff! Talk, share, discuss, and you may find opportunities looking for you.  You can even start your own Linked In group. Be active, but not pushy.  Share your ideas, and don’t be afraid to post!

4.  Search for jobs on Linked In.  You can usually contact either the hiring manager or recruiter directly. Awesome, ha? Make sure your profile reads similar to your resume, but you do not have to include everything.

5.  Your resume should be updated and ready to distribute.  A top notch resume should not have spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.  You need power verbs, not passive verbs. Talk about what you accomplished, not what you were responsible for. Even if you have a job, keep that resume up to date, as you never know when you will need it immediately.

6.  Have someone else review your resume before sending it out. A second pair of eyes never hurt. When you send your resume via email, send it as a PDF with your name, this way you will stand out amongst all of the other resumes.

7.   Power words…did you know resumes are now scanned in a computer looking for certain keywords?  Do a google search for resume keywords and adjust your resume accordingly.

8.  Remember this one important item-When you are applying for a job, the company does not want to know what they can do for you. They want to know the skills and talent you can bring to them..don’t focus on yourself and the old type of cliche objective…show what you have and how it will help that specific company or institution.

9.  Career changes-Don’t be afraid to ‘look outside your career box’…You have various skills which are applicable to many different roles…realize them, write them down, and use them, and then dare to step out of your comfort zone..you may even like it!

10.  Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed to let your friends know you are looking for work. Many times a friend may know of an opening and can recommend and/or help you.