Originally published on the Strikingly Blog.

You’ll usually find just what you’re looking for the moment you stop looking for it.

We know this to be true for love and our elusive set of keys that inevitably shows up somewhere that later seems obvious, yet we generally don’t apply it to work. Instead, job hunting is often an aggressive and stressful process that ends in settling for a role that isn’t the greatest fit with a company you’re not proud to represent.

Instead of launching a pull-out-all-the-stops self promotion campaign to land your next role, just make it easy for your future employer to find you.

Focus on What You Love

You’re not going to land your dream role if you’re putting all your energy into a crappy office job that’s sucking the life out of you. While you might not be in the same type of work that aligns with your passions, you should still take time to make them a focus of your attention. Whether you’re upskilling with a short course or working on personal projects on weekends, make sure you keep active in the areas that you are truly interested in. Channeling your passions speaks volumes to employers.

Great Minds Think Alike

You know where you want to be, so surround yourself with people who are already there. Learning from people who are living the life you want to lead is a valuable opportunity and will also help you to confirm that it’s what you really want. Joining in industry events, associations or just generally socializing in the same circles brings you closer to people who have a lot to offer and can help you get to where you want to be. Take advantage of your contacts and share your genuine desire to learn rather than clawing your way up the career progression ladder.

Keep Your Ear to the Ground

A lucky break can come from the most unexpected place. Don’t discount your day-to-day interactions with people or rule out the possibility of opportunities arising from unanticipated circumstances. The best things in life eventuate from chance encounters or fleeting thoughts; great work relationships don’t always start with a handshake and the exchange of business cards, and we’d argue that it’s better that way.

The best way to be attract encounters like this is to try and meaningfully connect with people that you meet and always be willing to expand your circle of friends. Make time for people and be genuine. And also, be sure to stay in touch with those that you’ve come across too, you never know when you might need to call on one another for favours or opportunities.

Be a Challenge Seeker

Nothing good comes easy. If you’ve got a clear five year plan, you’re probably safely within the bounds of your comfort zone (which is by no means a good thing). Be open to challenges and consciously try to remove risk averse behaviours from your professional life. Most importantly, embrace failure as the learning opportunity that it is.

Leaving your pre set plan for something better is definitely a risk and most people just prefer to stick with a sure thing even if it isn’t exactly what they want to do. Being prepared to take a risk for a new opportunity shows your commitment to achieving your goals and the shared goals of the organization. Employers really want to see people that are personally invested in the success of the company, so get yourself fully involved in what you are doing.

Leaving your safe but boring job for a short term contract abroad or a shot at freelancing might be risky but taking chances is part of really extending yourself and in the long run, it makes you more attractive to employers.

Refine Your Personal Brand

As always, differentiating yourself from the crowd is hugely important when you’re hoping for a new opening. Get ahead by having your personal branding on point. It’s more than just ensuring that your cyber footprint doesn’t trace back to last year’s booze cruise (though, you should probably do something about that if it does).

Take a look at your LinkedIn profile and make sure it’s a good representation of who you are and where you want to be. It’s essential to make yourself stand out from the piles of generic resumes. Once that’s done, take a second to build a beautiful, professional website from your profile with Strikingly’s LinkedIn One-Click site builder. You can also take it a step further and build a customized online portfolio to showcase your talents and ideas.

It’s important to know that there is always an opportunity looking for someone just like you. Make yourself easy to spot and job searching will be a thing of the past.

Ready to be found? You can start here.