10 Job-Hunting Secrets You Need to Know

The competition for available jobs is fierce. Yet, you can beat the competition and actually get hired in the job you really want.

Here are 10 job-hunting secrets for job-seekers to consider.

Accentuate the Positives

It’s easy to feel down on yourself after getting rejected for a dream job, either telling yourself that you’re a failure or that you don’t have what it takes to succeed. According to Grieger, that’s because “so many people wrap their self-wortharound their careers.” There are, however, ways to dig yourself out of that hole of negativity, and approach the process in a more fearless fashion.

Identify your Hang-Ups

Does job hunting stress you out so much that you keep putting it off? Once you can confront your specific issues head on, you’ll put less stress on yourself—fearless job hunter-style.

Have Passion—and Purpose

There are a lot of different ways to think about work. For some people, it’s simply a way to put bread on the table. But fearless job hunters view their 9-to-5 as an expression of their purpose in life.

“Pressure-Proof” yourself

Successful job seekers are patient, persistent, and, most important, resilient. “They see the job hunt as a process, not an event,” says Knaus, adding that they exhibit what Grieger calls “high frustration tolerance.”

Network, Network, Network

“Networking is the most important thing that you can do,” says Knaus. “And it’s the biggest return for your time.” So think about who you know who might be able to give you the inside information on a job opening. When you’re assertive and proactive, opportunities are more likely to come your way. This is not a time to be shy—put yourself out there.

Always Do Your Homework

When you’re getting ready for an interview, the more background information you have, the less anxious you’ll feel. And we’re not just talking about checking out your hiring manager’sLinkedIn profile. Instead, look into the actual business.

Convey Confidence—Not Arrogance

Yes, you want to tout your skills and achievements, but your approach can mean the difference between coming across as likable or unhirable. So choose your words wisely, and own the motto “show, don’t tell,” suggests Knaus.

Learn From Each Letdown

In the job hunt, no one is ever going to bat a thousand. If you didn’t get the position that you were positive you were a frontrunner for, assess what might have gone wrong—and see what you can change for the future.

Discover what you really want out of your work and life.

Discover your true passions, desires, beliefs, and talents so that you can paint a picture of your true work and life goals, from your own perspective.

Develop and define the job you really want.

That’s right! Design and define the job that will allow you to fulfill your passions, desires, and beliefs and maximize your talents. What you are doing is building your ideal job around what you want as opposed to looking at job opportunities that come along to evaluate. Believe it or not, your ideal job actually exits in more than one way and within the personal parameters you set