Job Search Strategies
Looking for a job can initially seem like an overwhelming project, but if you break it down into subcategories, you may find that it's more manageable. In terms of how you spend your valuable job search time, we recommend the following:
Build and Engage Your Network
Dedicate approximately 70 percent of your job search time to reaching out to professionals in your field, or networking. The majority of jobs are found through word of mouth, so it’s critically important to dedicate time to building and strengthening relationships with real people.
- Start with people you know, or use LinkedIn to find alumni working at a company you're interested in. Reach out to those people to set up an informational interview to learn more about their job and the company.
- Attend professional conferences, workshops, or gatherings related to your field to meet new people, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself and asking a lot of questions (learn more about professional associations and organizations).
Research Companies of Interest
Dedicate approximately 25 percent of your job search time to researching companies where you might be a good fit. This will enable you to better target your outreach and, when it comes time for speaking or interviewing with the employer, it will help you make a good impression and increase your chances of getting hired.
- Visit company websites to learn more about them, and search online for things such as news coverage and company reviews.
- To find out about companies you may not even know existed, stop by the Berklee Career Center to peruse our directories, and use LinkedIn to get a better picture of a company and its employees.
Search Online Job Listings Boards
Dedicate approximately five percent of your job search time to looking through job listings online. The key is knowing where to look.
- The Berklee Career Manager is a great place to start since it features Berklee-exclusive opportunities tailored to our community that you won’t find anywhere else.
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Use our online job listings guide to find other job sites that may be useful.