You’re doing everything right – you’ve used the right format for your resume, listed relevant keywords, and included a cover letter as well. But you’re not hearing back from employers. If you want to quickly gain an edge over your competitors in the job market, you need to have a different strategy. Wondering what you can do to score a job that suits you perfectly? Here’s a look at three unconventional things you can do to boost your chances of landing your dream job.
1. Monitor changes
Employment opportunities usually come about when companies have vacancies. The good news is that job seekers like you can track these vacancies before companies actually list job advertisements online. For instance, you can monitor websites that help keep track of new departures and appointments. People who’ve recently been appointed surely have had to resign from their previous job to make it happen, which means you could apply to that individual’s previous company and check if they would be willing to hire you.
2. Talk to the receptionist
Receptionists are the ears and eyes of every organization because they tend to catch wind of many things before they actually become news to everyone else. So, if you have friends or neighbors who work in a front-facing role at a company, make sure to ask them if they know of any potential vacancies in their organization.
3. Offer to help for free
Most companies are hesitant to spend thousands of dollars on new hires who may or may not make the cut. But this challenge could be overcome if you show a genuine interest in the role. So, for instance, if you’re a marketing professional, you may want to offer to lend your services to a company you’re interested in pro bono. If your performance is impressive, they may end up offering you a job. And even if you don’t take up the job, you’ll leave having made a few helpful connections.