Hunting for a job is never an easy process. Very few people have the natural networking and charisma necessary to make an effortless first impression and snag a job in a single meeting. Most people have to work for it. Thankfully, with a few new habits, you can boost your career chances significantly. Here are some great habits that will help you get hired faster:
1. Blog Daily
Blogging is a great way to build a visible, lasting presence in your area of expertise. Blogs are incredibly easy to set up and operate. You can even write a dozen posts ahead of time and set them to post automatically. Blogging builds you a portfolio of insights: visible proof to any employer that you're intelligent, ambitious and hard working. Add a personal blog link to your interview thank you notes and business cards.2. Use Business Cards
Speaking of business cards, use them. Too many people think business cards are limited to the business owners and corporate executives of the world. In reality, anyone can benefit from a business card. It's easy to design business cards, cheap to print them and trivial to hand them out and as stated on the Digital Print Australia website, "a business card is the handshake that can leave a lasting impression." Always carry some with you and make sure to hand them out at any chance. You never know who might see them later.3. Use A Professional E-mail
Nothing makes you seem more unprofessional than the e-mail address you registered in high school and can't shake. An AOL address, an address with a screenname made out of numbers; these kill job prospects quickly. If nothing else, you run the risk of your message ending up in a spam folder. Gmail has become a standard in free e-mail domains, but if you own a website of your own, you can probably set up a customized e-mail address as well. Stick to your real name for best effect.4. Set Your Alarm
Waking up a single hour earlier adds a lot of productive time to your day. After just two weeks, you'll have added a full day of productive time to your schedule. When you're unemployed, it's easy to take advantage of the free time to catch up on sleep. Maintaining productive business hours is important, however. Even if you're not employed, the people you're trying to work for are, and they work regular hours. Sync your schedules and you'll be more prepared.5. Have Restraint
If you're the type of person to crack jokes at every opportunity, try to push down that urge. In an interview or meeting, that kind of cleverness only makes you stand out as an interruption in the flow of events. Sure, you'll stand out -- but you won't benefit from it. You'll be remembered negatively. If you want to stand out, do it on the power of your skills and experiences.6. Use Networking
The reality is, most people find their careers by networking with friends and family. You're only two or three connections away from a whole host of hiring managers. Take advantage of your free time to make use of the social media networks you use; Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter are all good places to start. Spend an hour each day making insightful posts, interacting with your network and expanding your contacts. Make sure you're easy to approach and you're available as often as possible.7. Treat It As A Job
Unemployment isn't free time. It's time where you're burning money just to stay afloat, like treading water. Eventually you'll grow tired, and when that happens, you'll sink. Treating your job hunt like a job will drastically increase your prospects. Spend eight hours each day on some aspect, whether it's applications, interviews, networking or preparing. Wake up on time, start work on time, make a schedule and stick to it.8. Have A Website
No, your blog doesn't count. You need a static website that you can use to post more evergreen information. Your website doesn't need to be a flashy, animated project. It can be a simple, professionally presented location for your job hunting information. You need a quick and memorable URL, something that fits on your business cards. You need a good, professional picture of yourself. You need contact information, references and resumes hosted for view and download. You can also benefit from a personal page with information about your professional goals, experiences and philosophy. All of this advice is valid if you're employed, as well. It helps if you're looking for a new job on the side, and it helps if you're satisfied with your position but want to grow your presence online and with networking. Business cards are useful for getting jobs, and they're useful for keeping them. Websites make great ongoing portfolios of your work, and who knows; maybe your dream career will find you. Without putting yourself out there, you'll never have that chance. Enjoy this article? You've got time for another! Check out these related articles:- How To Sell Yourself And Get Hired
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