Searching for a Job in 2021

A new year is upon us, and with that we have all the new expectations we usually have of how to tackle these next twelve months and continue on our journey to being our best selves. With that, you may have some ambitions to search for a new job this year, whether you’ve been out of work, or merely because you’re just looking for a change. Now is as good a time as any to send out those resumes and get in touch with whoever is hiring, regardless of whether you’re looking for a change now or sometime down the road. Here are a few pointers so you can hit the ground running this year with your job search.

Be flexible with what it is you’re looking to do. Obviously, you have a certain career path in mind, but in a tough economy, managers value innovation and creativity as much as they value a specific resume, and the odds are that whatever positions you’ve had in the past qualify you for some jobs you’ve never even thought about. Break your qualifications down into their component parts, and then take a gander on job sites and ask around your professional contacts about positions related not just to what you’ve already done, but what you’re capable of doing. Whatever your dream job ultimately is, don’t think of an out-of-the-box job search as a step away from your dream, but rather think about this as an alternate path that may lead you a different route than what you think conventional.

Open up your geographical search to maximize your options. This goes hand in hand with my last point. Not only should you be flexible about what jobs you’re looking for. You should also be flexible about where you’re looking. There may be some great positions opening up in cities you haven’t previously had on your radar. And for people who don’t plan to move many companies who have gone remote are hiring people from all over, not just in their area.

The current job market is bound to become better as the economy continues to improve and we will be able to see the sort of growth we’d been seeing previously. In the meantime, though, we should continue to hope for the best while planning for a more gradual recovery, and that means approaching your job search with an open mind. As long as your excellent work ethic remains intact, you’ll be just fine.