You may not think you have enough time to make progress in your job search. But if you’ve got five minutes, you can move your search forward with any of these 11 actions:
1. Replace the objective statement.“Replace the objective statement at the top of your résumé with a branded headline that conveys your value to the reader, i.e., ‘Registered nurse committed to providing safe, effective patient care,” says Laurie Berenson, certified master résumé writer and founder of Sterling Career Concepts LLC.
2. Connect with your network. “Connect with one person from your network with whom you haven’t spoken in at least one month,” Berenson advises. “Pick up the phone, too — don’t rely on emailing.”
3. Update your social profiles. “Update your LinkedIn profile content for two reasons: First, to keep it current, but also so the activity puts your name in front of every one of your contacts as a network update on their home page,” Berenson says.
4. Conduct research. “A lack of basic understanding of the agency’s mission and/or philosophy shows a lack of preparation and interest,” says Natasha R.W. Eldridge, founding partner and director of human resources for Eldridge Overton Educational Programs.
5. Make your voicemail more professional. “Remove ringtones and silly voicemail recordings from voicemail,” Eldridge says. “I am not going to leave a professional message on the voicemail of an applicant that has music blasting as a ringtone. It shows me that job searching is not a priority.”