What are the Most Common Behaviors of a Successful JobSeeker?

Endless tips and advice exist to aid job seekers in their employment search, but only scientific research reveals what truly works. The 2015 Successful Job Seekers study from the Career Advisory Board at DeVry University has revealed some of the essential behaviors, traits and factors that successful job seekers have reported as contributing to their job search.

The survey of 589 business professionals of various ages and from various industries in the United States aims to find the keys to a successful job search, including both passive and active job-seeking methods. The study defines a successful job seeker as one who accepts a job offer within six months of beginning a job search.

One of the most essential job search behaviors is being selective and focused for a more targeted job hunt. According to the study, 90 percent of successful job seekers desired to be at least 75 percent qualified for a position before applying, and more than 50 percent applied for five or fewer positions within a six-month period. Approximately two-thirds of participants applied to 10 or fewer positions.

Customizing job applications was found to be another important factor, as 67 percent of participants sent in resumes with keywords and skills provided in the job description. Nearly 70 percent also spoke with a contact to learn more about the opening. Exhibiting interpersonal and job-specific skills during an interview is also essential as hiring managers still look for self-confidence, flexibility and willingness to learn when approaching candidates. Most research participants researched the company on Google or on the company's own website, while more than half came up with examples of how their skills fit the job description.

Although successful job seekers dedicate time to finding a position, the job search does not need to become a full-time job. While 47 percent of participants spent one to three hours per day searching for jobs, 45 percent dedicated less than an hour a day to the job search. Professionals over the age of 41 were less likely to spend more than an hour on the job search compared to younger professionals ages 18 to 26.

Most successful job seekers went beyond the digital job search, incorporating methods such as attending conferences, using friend and family contacts, attending networking events and taking advantage of industry gatherings. Only around 33 percent of participants used LinkedIn and other social media as part of the job search.

Conducting interview follow-ups is a job search behavior long supported by hiring managers, and the study confirmed its importance as the majority of successful job seekers sent timely thank-you notes after an interview. Many respondents sent these notes via email, which still displays good business etiquette.

Many successful job seekers also set goals and to-do lists to keep the job search on track, and others keep organized files of each job opening. Taking the job search seriously and approaching it in a professional, organized manner goes a long way in landing an interview.

Photo courtesy of kate hiscock at Flickr.com