The #1 Strategy to Get Ahead In Your Job Search

In today’s highly competitive job market, it has become more important than ever to maximize the time, energy, and resources you spend seeking your next job. Whether you’re taking the next step on a long-time career path or are paving the way for a new one, job searching can get tough, fast—and sometimes, the overwhelming amount of advice out there can cause more harm than good.

You’ll find guidance about how many applications to submit each day, which platforms work best or fastest, and how many words your cover letter should be. While that is certainly all helpful, there is ultimately one strategy that I (and countless other job search experts) have seen lead to the most reliable success, time and time again. In this article, you’ll find out what that strategy is and how to implement it into your job search in meaningful, impactful ways.

The #1 Way to Get Ahead In Your Job Search

If I had to guess, you’re here because you are ambitious. Forward-looking. Eager to get to the next level—maybe even a little impatient at time. You continue to wonder how you can get ahead in your job search, how you can take it to the next level and beat out the competition.

Instead of passively applying to job after job, waiting for opportunities to arise and come your way, it’s time to focus on proactive outreach to employers and intentional, purposeful networking.

According to LinkedIn, 70% of candidates get their jobs through their network, very often through third-degree connections rather than first. This emphasizes the importance of putting yourself out there into spaces you wouldn’t usually go: If you don’t expand your reach past your immediate, direct connections, you never know who you will meet, who will catch your eye, or, most importantly, whose eye you will catch. Scrolling job boards can be a good place to start, but it’s not a sustainable option for long-term success.

What is “networking” in the job market, and why is it important?

Networking means fostering genuine connections with potential employers and colleagues, and connecting with people in meaningful ways that may (or may not) lead to future opportunities. 

The key word here is “genuine.” Networking for the sake of networking won’t do you much good if you’re seeking a meaningful role with people you truly care about, and who care about you. It’s all about cultivating real relationships, building conscious connections with people who may be able to open a door for you if not now, then in the future—or who may point you on the path toward one you hadn’t noticed before. 

When you spend your time and resources on proactive networking and outreach, you create a more impactful job search for yourself, one with direction and purpose rather than simply moving forward aimlessly. One that is more likely to support you along the way, taking out the guesswork and pushing you toward more aligned opportunities, with a higher likelihood of seeing the results you desire.

3 Essential Tips for Proactive Outreach and Networking

1. Build a power resume that’s ready when you are

Networking doesn’t replace applying for a job—you will, of course, still need to follow the proper steps to submit your resume, cover letter, and application once your networking leads to a potential new role. A key piece of confident networking is having a power resume ready to go when an opportunity opens up, rather than being unprepared and winging it through a half-hearted resume when the time arrives. Being proactive means you have a powerful resume in place that you can easily tweak and edit to fit the position you’re applying for. Having that confidence behind you as you begin to cultivate connections will help immensely.

2. Set yourself up for success on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the place where job seekers go to leverage connections with other professionals; in other words, to network. It’s your opportunity to show up as a professional problem-solver and thinker, and to tell the world what sets you apart. It’s best to create your profile, then edit and build as you go, rather than trying to set everything up perfectly from the get-go. If your dream job were looking for you tomorrow—or rather, you found your dream job tomorrow through your proactive outreach—make sure you’re ready with a profile that stands out.

5. Manage your expectations

Networking can be tiring and time-consuming, so it’s important to manage your expectations at the start. LinkedIn recommends about 5 meetings or conversations per week with potential employers in order to keep momentum in your job search. While it’s great to set up a high volume of meetings and send out connection requests, not everybody on LinkedIn will accept them—only 25-40%, on average. Remember this so you’re not discouraged when an invitation isn’t accepted; it’s just part of the process, and you will learn how to improve as you go. The more connections you have, the higher your acceptance rate, and the more doors you’re likely to open along the way.

When all is said and done, networking comes down to one thing, and one thing only: building genuine, meaningful relationships with the right people. Proactive outreach will always beat out mindlessly scrolling the job boards and hoping to come across the right opportunity at the right time—it’s time to take back control of your job search and show up in the roles you deserve.

Wondering what a power resume actually looks like? How to set up your LinkedIn profile for success? Where to start with your outreach and networking?

Find all that and more inside Career Breakthrough, where you’ll learn how to land your next role with confidence, purpose, and impact—it’s time to finally get the breakthrough you deserve.