Spring cleaning tips for the job search
I love spring because it’s one of the only times during the year that my entire family gets together in South Florida for our annual Passover seder. And with Passover prep comes spring cleaning! This past weekend, we pulled out the summer patio furniture and finally said goodbye to gloves and hats. Spring cleaning can be a big project and definitely takes some time, but I love how it feels like a reset and how clutter-free everything is afterward.
While you’re resetting other parts of your life for a new season, I wanted to share my tips for doing “spring cleaning” when it comes to your job search:
Clean up your LinkedIn. I've spent a bunch of time in various newsletters talking about how important LinkedIn is to a recruiter. I will often share LinkedIn profiles with clients even before I see a resume and sample work product. Your LinkedIn should read like your resume, meaning you want details about what you accomplished – not just where you worked. So, dedicate some time to your LinkedIn profile and make sure it represents your best self.
Freshen up your professional photo. I'm seeing more and more candidates use business casual profiles as their professional photo, and I like it. Suits feel like something people wore before the pandemic. Once you find a new photo, update your LinkedIn and email icon. If you’re looking for inspiration, I really like the work that Covatar does. They can turn a selfie into a very hip avatar (Covatar is also my go-to gift for client referrals).
Dust off your resume. Most people only tweak the most recent job experience on their resume. I'm proposing that you spend time dusting off all of it. Look back at your previous experience thinking about how you want to tell your story and how you want to share your accomplishments. Swap with a friend and ask for feedback. My two cents is that people spend way too long on their resumes, but I think this is a good time of year to clean-it up and make sure it represents your best self.
Refresh your network. In other newsletters we've talked about the importance of having and maintaining a really strong network. People find jobs through people they know, not necessarily through job boards. Just like you bring your bike in for spring tuning once a year, you want to make sure you are giving your network regular attention. Make a list of the top 25 people you are going to reach out to when it's time to launch your job hunt, and send them a general update on how it's all going. The key to a network is to keep in touch with people outside of times when you need them to do things for you.
And of course, you want to make sure you stay up to date on the cool jobs that are out there!
Speaking of jobs, here are the 90+ jobs we’re looking to fill right now, and here are a few I want to highlight:
Managing Director at Sunrise Project; $80,000-$100,000; Remote.
Grassroots Director at Freedom Forum; $120,000-$140,000; Remote.
Senior Manager, People and Culture at Active Minds; Starting at $70,000; Remote.
Now, onto housekeeping!
NRG Consulting is offering coaching programs to folks on the job hunt, whether you’re an entry- or senior-level candidate. Check out the programs we’re offering on our website, and get in touch with us.
If you find this newsletter helpful, forward it to your friends and help us build our network! Also, if you have feedback or an idea for a future newsletter topic, shoot me a note.