“The reality of today’s job market is that people are in motion. They move from one job to another quickly,” sums up Éloïc Lévesque-Dorion, employment counsellor at the Montreal Downtown Job Search Club. “People stay in the same company for three years on average,” he adds. “Everyone will eventually have to find another job.”
Even if you are not thinking of changing jobs in the short term, you are better off remaining open to new challenges. A better offer could come in, whether in two weeks or two years.
Unlike active job seekers, who apply directly to employers, passive job seekers let employers come to them. Some tips.
Developing your brand image
Whether passive or active, the job search is based on enhancing your brand image, explains Mr. Lévesque-Dorion. You need to find a way to highlight your experience and skills with potential employers. To do so, social media is a powerful tool.
Join LinkedIn
The LinkedIn online professional network is essential to develop your brand image. It is therefore important to update your profile regularly, as would be done with your résumé, but presenting your achievements. Most employers use this network as a recruitment tool, says Mr. Lévesque-Dorion.
Developing your professional network
LinkedIn also lets you build your professional network, the key for capturing the job of your dreams. Connect with former colleagues and follow the companies that you are interested in. And do not hesitate to get out of the virtual world by having a coffee with your contacts. Who knows? One of these relationships could be useful to you when the job offer of your dreams comes up.
Stay tuned
Create alerts on LinkedIn and on specialized employment sites to receive job offers as soon as they are posted. Regularly check out the careers section of your favourite companies. You will be among the first to see job offers that match your profile.
Act subtly
There’s no need to make it clear that you are seeking new challenges for companies to contact you. Recruiters are looking for candidates based on their skills and not on their availability, Mr. Lévesque-Dorion points out. When an offer is presented, you will be free to accept it or not.