Top Tips for Passive Job Seekers

Top Tips for Passive Job SeekersTop Tips for Passive Job SeekersEven if you love your job and dont want to even think about looking for a new position, and even better, if youre lucky enough to have a job you dont want to quit, you should always be at least somewhat prepared to move on. Thats because companies can behave in unexpected ways. Your employer may reorganize its structure or lay-off workers for financial reasons. Management can shift, and along with it, responsibilities for employees. From one day to the next, you could get a new boss who isnt as great to work for as your old supervisor. Or, your personal circumstances could change and you may need to seek new employment.There are also valid reasons that it can make sense toquit a job you love. So, even if you are happy with your current role, its a good idea to engage in passive job search. Find out how to do so, along with distitelbilding the difference between an active and passive job hunt. Active vs. Passive Job Se arching Active job searchThis scenario occurs when someone currently needs a new job. Active job seekers post theirresumeon job boards and search and apply for jobs. In addition, job seekers who are actively seeking employment use LinkedIn, social networking sites, and apps to expedite their search for a new position. Active job seekers also network, attend job fairs and industry events, and contact connections, friends, and relatives about vermgen job opportunities.An active job seeker may also contact a recruiting agency or send letters of interest to specific employers. Passive job searchThis situation occurs when someone who is currently employed is open to hearing about new career opportunities but does leid actively seek out and apply to specific positions. Rather than searching and applying for jobs as an active job seeker does, a passive job seeker waits for employers to reach out with opportunities. Passive job seekers may (and should) keep their resume and LinkedIn profil e up-to-date. They may also engage in casual networking with colleagues and friends at other companies and set up job alerts and accounts on job search websites.Even if youre not actively job searching, there are things you can do now to make your next job change easier. Why Its Important to Be Prepared to Job Search Its a good model to follow because you will be prepared to job hunt at any given moment. Your resume and social media presence will be up-to-date if youre engaged in a passive job search. Plus, youll have a sense of the opportunities and salary available within your industry from alerts and casual browsing on job boards. If your circumstances change, your passive job search will be able to quickly and easily transform into a more active one. Top 10 Tips for Passive Job Seekers Passive job seekers who invest a little time in staying job search ready will save a lot of time (and stress) getting up to speed when they need to job search. Here are tips for passive jo b seekers. 1. Be an Active LinkedIn UserBuild arobust LinkedIn profileincluding education, experience, volunteering, skills, certifications, and associations, etc. Your LinkedIn Profile is the online version of your resume, so be sure to proofread it carefully. Once your Profile is set, connect with everyone you know. The operative word is know - dont connect with random people because they arent going to be in a position to help you. Join relevantLinkedIn groups. There are job search groups, company groups, alumni groups, college groups, and networking groups. Groups are a good source for networking contacts, job search advice, and job listings. Since youre not actively job searching, set email notifications to a weekly digest so you arent buried in messages. 2. Write RecommendationsWrite LinkedIn recommendations for some of your connections. In return, youll get a recommendation back from at least some of the people you provide a reference for. Those recommendations show on your P rofile and are a visible reference for potential employers. 3. Tap Into Social NetworkingDont stop with LinkedIn. Facebook is a personal networking site, but can also be helpful for keeping in touch with former colleagues. Set up Twitter and Google accounts as well to expand your base of connections. Heres how to use social networking for career purposes FacebookGoogleTwitter The stronger your social presence, the more likely you are to be tapped by companies usingsocial recruitingto find candidates for employment. 4. Build a Career NetworkYou dont have to spend a lot of time networking, but do take the time to add connections to your network on a regular basis. The bigger your network, the more opportunities youll have when youre job searching. 5. Stay Connected to Your NetworkDont build a network and forget about it. Its important for your connections to know you are there. Post position updates on Facebook, tweet now and then, and post interesting links to your social networking pages. If you have a blog thats appropriate for professional connections to read, feed it to your social networking pages. That way your pages will be current without you having to do much work. Once a week, email or send a LinkedIn or Facebook message to a few connections to ask how they are doing. Staying in touch reminds your connections of who you are and shows that you care about how they are doing. If youre interested and engaged, your contacts will be more likely to give you help if and when you need it. With the connections you are friendly enough to meet in-person, have a cup of coffee or lunch once in a while. 6. Check Out CompaniesDo you have a company you would love to work for if the perfect job came along? Have alist of target companies readyand check out the company website every once in a while to read the latest news and see what jobs are available. 7. Check Job ListingsOnce a week spend a few minutes using ajob search engineto run a few job searches using your skil ls, job title, and/or the location where you would like to work. Youll see, at a glance, a list of open jobs that match your background. 8. Update Your ResumeHave an updatedresumeready to go. Each time you change jobs or your educational status changes, update your resume. This way, youll always have a current copy of your resume to use, if need be. Write acover letterdraft for a job that is a close match to your expertise. Youll have a template ready to customize when you are ready to apply for jobs. 9. Be Interview ReadyDont use up all your accrued vacation orpersonal leavetime unless you have to. Keep some in reserve, so you have time to interview if an opportunity thats too good to pass up comes along. Have aninterview outfitready to go so you dont have to scramble to find something to wear at the last minute. Also, have a list ofemployment referencesready. Some companies require references along with a resume and cover letter as part of the application process. 10. Start OverEv ery few weeks go through these steps to make sure that your passive job search techniques are working. Is your LinkedIn networking growing? Are you remembering to reach out to your connections? Do you have a sense of what jobs you qualify for and what jobs are available? On a related note, are your skills and certifications current so youre qualified for positions of interest? Are you ready to interview if you get an invitation from an employer? The more prepared you are to job search, in advance, the easier it will be to start a job hunt and find a new job fast if you need to.