In the last 2 months, our job hunt tips have fallen through. With the lockdown measures in place, recruiting changed from in person to online or was halted altogether. It was impossible to go out and network, meet people at events or join conferences in person. These times have forced job seekers to go back to the online job hunt and applying the old way again. Even if we can meet again in person and go to events, the online recruiting business will remain. The recruiting tools and technologies are here to stay and they won’t go away. Despite our recommendation and experience that meeting in person will lead to a higher success when looking for a new job, we want to share with you how you can apply for a job in the digital age. Are you ready for this?

Tip 1: Who are you (online)?

Companies using online recruiting tools will most probably create a profile about you. They will not only look at the documents you have uploaded, but they might also google you and check out your social media presence. So who are you online? Is your online presence the same as what you are IRL? The first step before you start your online job hunt is to find out, who you are online. Have a look at your social media profiles, from LinkedIn to Facebook, Instagram or even TikTok. Google yourself and investigate the result.

Update your LinkedIn Profile, add these certificate you have done online, no matter if they are related to your job or not. It shows your interest, maybe you even considered a change in career and started to educate yourself, show it off! Write some articles showcasing your skills and expertise, share some interesting posts and provide your thoughts.

Next, check your Facebook pictures and Instagram post. Anything you do not like or does not relate to you anymore? Delete it! Review who you follow or to which group you belong. If something is no longer relevant remove it.
In the end, ask a work colleague or friend to Google you and check your online presence. How would they describe what they see? Does it fit what you want to be?

Check out our blog post on Spring Clean your Google Result and Spring Clean your LinkedIn to get more insights.

Tip 2: Do your values and purpose match the company you want to apply for?

It is not only the companies who make a profile about you, but you should also do the same for companies you are going to apply for. Make use of the transparency we have with the online presence of the companies. Check out their profiles, their website and their employees. Ask yourself, how you would fit into the company. Visit our Company Profiles, where we have curated the company with your needs and requirements in mind.

Be clear about your purpose and values. What is important for you in life, in your job for your career? What would you not tolerate and would make you not enjoy your work? Does this match with the company?

If you want to gain more insight in how to create your own purpose profile, how to define a company profile and how to match, sign up for our purpose culture match workshop. 

Tip 3: Where do you stand with your skills?

The halftime of skills today is only 4.5 years, compared to 26 years a generation earlier. This leads to the fact, that transferable skills, such as teamwork, leadership, communication and adaptability, will become more important in the future of work. How do you display your transferable skills in your profile?

The next step is to do a skill assessment test. You might be invited by the company to do one, so why not take one of these tests beforehand to understand how it works and what to expect. There are many skill assessment tests online available, such as this Competency test.

Consider doing a career map based on your skills. Where have you started, what skills have you gained, where could you go next and what is the path you like to choose. Simple use a mind mapping tool to layout your career path and identify opportunities.

Tip 4: Is it possible to network online?

Of course! One of the most important parts is to keep your network growing and stay connected. One opportunity is to check out the company you would like to apply for on LinkedIn. Who is working there, what are their roles, are they active in sharing and posting? Start following the employees you would like to connect, see what they post and start liking or even commenting on their posts. After a while, send them a connection request, tell them why you would like to connect and once they have accepted, you might want to reach out and ask for a call to get to know what they are doing.

But not only LinkedIn is the place to go to. With the lock-down, many organisations and companies have started to provide webinars, online panels and presentations. Join these events and learn from experts. Reach out to them after the event and ask to connect. Some of these events even offer opportunities for breakout rooms and get involved in smaller discussions. A great opportunity to connect online with participants.

Check out our events page for some of the events happening online in the next months.

Tip 5: Have you applied already?

We want to be perfect, we want to make sure there are no flaws in our application, we only apply when we feel we have a really good chance to get the job. In most cases this means, we only apply if it is a 100% fit!

Forget about 100%, most companies list what they would like to have, but they are fully aware that they won’t get it all. So even if you only fulfil about 60% or 70% of the requirements, apply for the job. And don’t wait too long, some of these job posts will fill quickly.

Want to know how other thriving women in tech have got their dream job? Check our podcast and listen to their stories.

Finally, we are still convinced that the human connection can never be replaced with technology, this is even more important in recruiting. These tips will help you to get started, but meeting the recruiter, talking to the employees and being able to see who they are IRL is still at the core of our services to you, hence our Talent Matching Events. We believe in using technology with our needs in mind and putting the human being in the middle of it.