Quick Ways to Put Some Sizzle in Your Cold Job Search

Heat up Your Job SearchOld Man Winter is saying goodbye. The bitter cold wind is going away, flowers are blooming, and people are trading sweaters and snow boots for shorts and sandals. The ski trips and winter activities have come to an end, and many graduates will be starting their job search.

Your job search may have gone cold during the winter months while dealing with holidays and other distractions, but now that spring is here and summer is soon approaching, it’s the perfect time to heat up that sluggish job search. Here are some quick ways you can bring a little sizzle and spark some new life into your job seeking efforts.

Catch up with Old Contacts
Maybe you haven’t had the chance to keep up with a few contacts in the past few months. Now that the weather is warming up, it would be a great opportunity to schedule a quick meeting outside a coffee shop, ice cream parlor, or deli to catch up. Even if they don’t have any leads, it’s always a good idea to stay fresh in their minds in case they find one.

A summer barbeque is a good reason to fire up the grill and invite old friends and new people to a gathering. You never know who you’ll meet and what new leads they could have.

Give Your Attire a Makeover
Does your interview clothing have any holes, missing buttons, stains, or tears? If it can be repaired, fix it yourself or get someone who knows what they’re doing to help. If it needs to be cleaned, send it to a professional cleaner to take care of it. Make sure you’re not missing any key pieces to your wardrobe if you need professional attire. If on a budget, you can find good quality items at resale shops as long as you’re willing to look for them.

You may also want to consider purchasing an entirely new wardrobe if you have the budget. You always want to look your best, and new, fresh attire can give you that boost of confidence you need when interviewing or attending professional events. Some discount stores may offer great deals in the summer for recent college graduates.

Review, Renew, and Revise
Have you updated your résumé recently? Think about what you’ve accomplished in the past few months. List any new skills you’ve acquired, training you’ve completed, or any other relevant information that has changed.

You can also consider changing the format of your résumé. After catching up with your contacts, ask them what they think about your résumé to see if they can offer any input. Try researching some résumés that stick out to see if you can still display relevant information, but express your professional experience as well.

Call for Help
You can also reach out to people in your industry network by scheduling some informational interviews.  During the summertime, it’s actually easier to meet with decision makers since their schedule typically isn’t as tight and they can be more generous with their time. Informational interviews not only help you become better at answering questions and perfecting your elevator pitch, but also allow to be more visible to decision makers.

If you’re frustrated doing things on your own, consider hiring a job coach or contacting a staffing agency. Job coaches can provide good, real-world advice on ways to improve your résumé, cover letter, and interview skills. There are also free services offered by staffing agencies that can provide helpful guidance in your job search.

The weather is getting hotter, so should your job search. For whatever reason, if your job search has gone cold, now is the time to light the fires and set your job search ablaze! What are some ways you’ve added some sizzle when looking for a job?

Comments

  1. Pingback: Top 5 Job Opportunities for Winter | Movin' On Up

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *