Some of today's administrative professionals spend nearly as much time searching for jobs as performing them. This isn't surprising, as admin jobs come and go regularly in the modern economy. Given the steady press of people searching for jobs in an already crowded market, it's difficult for any single individual to stand out from the crowd and get the attention needed to land a dream job. Here are a few ways you can tune up your job search to improve your chances.
Casting as wide a net as possible while you're searching is arguably the most critical part of finding a job. Simple steps, such as signing up at more than one job search site or networking with friends and colleagues, have the potential to dramatically increase your capture area, and they might bring open positions to your attention that you would otherwise have missed. Because of the sheer number of qualified administrative professionals on the job market at any time, these positions are often not widely advertised—having access to as many job listings as possible helps prevent you from missing a golden opportunity.
Another way to widen the net is to take advantage of the various social media tools at your disposal. LinkedIn and Google+ are especially good for professional networking and have the potential to entirely supplant traditional paper resumes. While some platforms—Twitter and Facebook, notably—can be scarce on hiring opportunities, the relative cost of a few quick tweets or status updates is more than outweighed by the chance that someone who follows you has leads on admin jobs you might be interested in.
Once you've attracted the attention of the hiring manager at a company you're interested in, remember that admin jobs call for organized, professional employees. Bring these qualities to all of your interactions with any prospective employer. Always be available by telephone, have your documents well organized for the interview, and dress a notch above the company's everyday dress code to signal to the interviewer that you're taking the application process as seriously as the company expects you to take the job itself.
If you're actively applying for admin jobs but not hearing back, it's possible there's an issue with your application, resume, or social media profile. Simply asking a hiring manager for feedback when you're rejected for a position is an easy way to see yourself the way a hiring manager does. If it's a problem with the way you present yourself in print or online, consider hiring a professional writer to touch up—or completely rewrite—your resume or LinkedIn profile. This service will cost money, but consider it an investment—it will more than pay for itself with the first paycheck from your new job.
Looking for work is almost as tiring and time consuming as having a job. By repositioning yourself in the tight labor market that exists for admin jobs, using online resources to search far and wide, and showing your best face to potential employers at all times, you can maximize your chances of landing the admin jobs you want most.
(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)
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