{"641775":{"#nid":"641775","#data":{"type":"news","title":"7 Tips to Optimize Your Online Job Search","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EArticle by Autumn Siebold\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECovid-19 has driven a lot of things we do almost entirely online \u0026mdash;\u0026nbsp;including the job search process. But, have you adjusted your search strategies to reflect this new reality?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Now more than ever before, postdocs need to be more strategic when it comes to searching for a job,\u0026rdquo; said Clarence Anthony Jr., the assistant director of graduate career development at the Career Center. \u0026ldquo;For example, I often see graduate students and postdocs apply to many jobs believing that simply submitting applications without tailoring their materials will lead to success. Right now, this isn\u0026rsquo;t wise because applicant pools will be full of generic resumes and cover letters, so they won\u0026rsquo;t stand out. It\u0026rsquo;s better to do things like attend career fairs, network through LinkedIn and professional organizations, and get involved with mentoring programs.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs you\u0026rsquo;re on the hunt for a job, keep the following tips from Anthony and the Career Center\u0026rsquo;s graduate career advisors in mind:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFind target organizations. \u003C\/strong\u003EOne way to ensure quality over quantity is finding what Graduate Career Advisor Robbie Ouzts calls \u0026ldquo;target businesses.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;Have a list of criteria in mind when looking at different industries\u0026nbsp;that includes things\u0026nbsp;like the size of the company or where it\u0026rsquo;s located,\u0026rdquo; Ouzts said. \u0026ldquo;That way, you can create a more specific elevator pitch for the businesses you like and manage your time better.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrepare your pitch. \u003C\/strong\u003EWhen introducing yourself to a recruiter or interviewer, keeping your summary relevant is key. That\u0026rsquo;s why Anthony recommends making an elevator pitch tailored to your top companies. \u0026ldquo;Your elevator pitch should be a short, conversational summary of your skills and career goals,\u0026rdquo; Anthony said. \u0026ldquo;Include information that shows you\u0026rsquo;ve researched the company, kept up with their news, and read the job postings.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETreat it like a research study. \u003C\/strong\u003ECasey Hampton, another graduate career advisor, suggests researching different careers and paring down your options like you would a research topic. \u0026ldquo;You can work more efficiently by blocking out time to work on the job search like a project, tracking what jobs you research as you go, and asking friends or advisors for help if you need it,\u0026rdquo; Hampton said.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUse your network. \u0026ldquo;\u003C\/strong\u003EWith fewer opportunities to meet new contacts, now is the time to rely on people you already know,\u0026rdquo; Ouzts said. \u0026ldquo;Talking to your advisors, the people you work or study with, or the 4 Fs \u0026mdash; friends, family, friends of family, and family of friends \u0026mdash; can help you find new opportunities.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaximize your experience. \u003C\/strong\u003EIf you\u0026rsquo;re still limited on job experience, consider the value of your volunteer roles. \u0026ldquo;Don\u0026rsquo;t forget professional organizations and volunteer activities you\u0026rsquo;ve been involved in,\u0026rdquo; Anthony said. \u0026ldquo;You can gain project management and teamwork skills in doing these things, and those skills are valuable.\u0026rdquo; Find ways to mention these experiences in things like cover letters and during conversations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExplore different paths. \u0026ldquo;\u003C\/strong\u003EIt can be easy to get tunnel vision and focus on one industry,\u0026rdquo; Hampton said. \u0026ldquo;Jobs seem fewer and further between, and you may try to go for the jobs you know you\u0026rsquo;re qualified for \u0026mdash; even if you\u0026rsquo;re not really interested. Don\u0026rsquo;t be afraid to explore jobs that don\u0026rsquo;t exactly fit your discipline. You may find something you\u0026rsquo;re passionate about.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEstablish your brand. \u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026ldquo;Make sure the interests and skills you\u0026rsquo;re displaying on LinkedIn and social media match the jobs you want,\u0026rdquo; Hampton said. \u0026ldquo;You want a consistent image of who you are and what you\u0026rsquo;re about, so employers know you\u0026rsquo;ll be a good fit based on more than just work experience.\u0026rdquo; Usually, the skills and interests you\u0026rsquo;ll want to show off will be directly related. For example, if you\u0026rsquo;re hoping to work in UI\/UX design, be sure to include your coding and interaction design skills on your skills list.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor more advice on your career search:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EPostdocs interested in a broad spectrum of career paths are welcome to make appointments with the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/career.gatech.edu\/graduate-advisors\u0022\u003Egraduate career advisors\u003C\/a\u003E via email.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EPostdocs applying specifically to academic jobs can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ctl.gatech.edu\/grad-students\/consultations\u0022\u003Eschedule a consultation\u003C\/a\u003E with Center for Teaching and Learning faculty.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECovid-19 has driven a lot of things we do almost entirely online \u0026mdash;\u0026nbsp;including the job search process. But, have you adjusted your search strategies to reflect this new reality?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Covid-19 has driven a lot of things we do almost entirely online \u2014 including the job search process. But, have you adjusted your search strategies to reflect this new reality?"}],"uid":"27915","created_gmt":"2020-12-01 19:57:17","changed_gmt":"2020-12-01 19:57:17","author":"Jana Stone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-12-01T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-12-01T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"640535":{"id":"640535","type":"image","title":"Students with laptop","body":null,"created":"1603476993","gmt_created":"2020-10-23 18:16:33","changed":"1603476993","gmt_changed":"2020-10-23 18:16:33","alt":"","file":{"fid":"243467","name":"Grad Studies008.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Grad%20Studies008.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Grad%20Studies008.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":562119,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Grad%20Studies008.jpg?itok=YZAUpbWd"}}},"media_ids":["640535"],"groups":[{"id":"249231","name":"Postdoctoral Services"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"69901","name":"Postdocs"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:canthony32@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EClarence Anthony Jr.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCareer Center\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}