3 Job Search Experts Every Young Professional Should Follow
Talking resumes, cover letters, the job market, and more!
Oh, the dreaded job search.
Hunting down a new job may be the most hectic and stressful part of career management. Whether you’re looking for a lateral transfer, a big promotion, or a company that’s a better culture fit, the task can feel daunting.
One of the biggest challenges job searchers run into is understanding today’s job market. At times, it can feel a bit like understanding quantum physics or advanced mathematics. There are so many moving pieces.
Consider, for example, a standard career search. Maybe you’re looking to join a company that more aligns with your values. Or has a better work from home policy to meet your personal needs.
Here are just a few of the factors you’d have to consider:
- What role are you going to target? Job titles may not be the same from company to company, and you might need to read job descriptions closely to see if they’re a good fit.
- How are you going to get your foot in the door? Filling out an online application may not be your best bet — in fact, some job experts call it “a waste of time.” Instead, how are you going to get an internal referral or reach out to the recruiting team?
- What job search assets do you need? You’ll need a resume, but how should it look? What about cover letters? Are those still required? Should you put together a portfolio or include a link to your personal website?
- How do you address potential red flags? If you don’t have the listed job experience, how are you going to spin your transferable skills? If you have a gap in employment, how are you going to explain it?
The point here is simple: with so many moving pieces, you need to become a student of the job market.
One of the best ways to kickstart your studies is to learn from those who have worked as a recruiter in the past or spend their days guiding clients through this process. And there are tons of job search experts sharing their advice every day on LinkedIn. All you have to do is find the right ones.
Today, we’re going to talk about 3 job search experts every young professional should follow. These experts share daily insights into the job market, the mindset of the recruiting team, and best practices to keep in mind.
So pull up your LinkedIn page and hit that follow button.
Let’s go!
1. Tejal Wagadia
Tejal Wagadia is a Phoenix-based recruiter whose career journey has taken her all over the recruiting world. Her goal, then, is to share the insights she’s learned over the years to help make “hiring transparent one post at a time.”
Thank goodness.
The role of a recruiter, whether they are an internal employee or hired as an outside resource, can be baffling to many professionals. What, exactly, does a recruiter do? What are they looking for? How do they interact with the hiring manager? What is this I keep hearing about an applicant tracking system?
Tejal is here to shed some light. She shares daily posts talking about the ins and outs of the recruiting system. And she does so with a sense of fun and snark. Recruiting, it turns out, doesn’t have to be dull work.
Her posts (just like the one above) are also full of calls for recruiters to rethink the way they do their work. To treat applicants as real humans and recognize the challenges of navigating the job market. She also puts the burden back on the employer to offer a positive workplace and practical policies.
So, if you feel like you just don’t understand recruiting, or there are parts of the job search process that don’t make sense, give Tejal a follow on LinkedIn. Your feed will start filling up with snappy posts full of useful information.
You can follow Tejal Wagadia here.
2. Austin Belcak
Austin Belcak is a New York-based job search expert and former Director at Microsoft. His focus is on helping professionals “land jobs they love in today’s market without traditional experience and without applying online.”
Caveat: Normally, I’m a bit wary of job search consultants. Their credentials and process can vary greatly. And I don’t have any personal experience working with Austin (or anyone else on this list). So do your homework before you hire any job search consultant to make sure they’re worth the price of admission.
What makes Austin’s page stand out from the thousands of other job search experts on LinkedIn is the fact that he provides a ton of free resources. He’s using these resources as lead magnets to drive business, sure, but that fact doesn’t diminish the impact they can have on your career search.
For starters, Austin has created a number of impactful (and free) digital tools:
He also posts about the mental side of the job search. I particularly liked a recent post where he talked about making time for your job search by carving out dedicated time each day. Austin provides practical tips on how to focus your efforts and set aside distractions to hunt down the job of your dreams.
So, if you’re looking for creative approaches to spark your job search, or you’re looking for inspiration to get you started, head on over to Austin’s page. He’ll share helpful tips and success stories that can inspire your own journey.
You can follow Austin Belcak here.
3. Sarah Johnston
Sarah Johnston is based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. And she is a former recruiter who now helps professionals with job searches and career coaching.
To hear her describe it:
As a former corporate recruiter, I got tired of seeing GOOD people get passed over for opportunities because they didn’t properly position themselves or interview to the best of their ability.
Sarah provides a number of free resources to help job seekers. She has a monthly newsletter that’s full of practical information and advice. And she’s been featured in publications like Business Insider, the BBC, and ABC.
Sarah also talks openly about the challenges of the job market. One of my favorite posts from her talks about career gaps. How many companies overlook great employees simply because they see a gap in employment. Sarah calls this a “real missed opportunity.”
So, if you’re looking for practical career advice and transparent discussion about the job market, add Sarah to your feed. She’ll share insights that can help you picture your job search more clearly and get you started toward a new career. At a minimum, you’ll learn something new.
You can follow Sarah Johnston here.
Conclusion (And Tips!)
The job search process doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Today, there is so much information available at your fingertips — strategies from job search experts, insights into the recruiting process, and more.
You simply have to seek it out.
By educating yourself on the process, you are taking ownership of your career and your job search. You are crafting your future success. And the 3 job search experts we talked about can help get you started.
Finally, here are a few additional tips to keep in mind as you seek out job search experts on LinkedIn (or elsewhere):
- Credentials: Make sure you are getting advice from people in the know. There are a lot of so-called experts on the Internet, so you have to be careful. Look to see where they worked, what kind of influence they had, and what kind of information they’re sharing.
- Cross-Reference: If you follow job search experts on LinkedIn, one of the things you’ll notice is that they don’t always agree. Sometimes what is common practice at one company is foreign to another. And sometimes experts have different opinions on what will work. Read from multiple angles to get a better picture of the tradeoffs.
- Coach: You’ll certainly need to be thoughtful, and this will depend a lot on your personal financial situation, but there can be times where working with a job search coach can be a real gain. If you’re further on in your career, it may make sense to hire a coach who specializes in your type of search or the market you’re trying to break into. And if you’re in school, make sure to take advantage of the career resources available through your department. A coach can often help point you in the right direction.
Who are some job search experts you follow? Drop a note in the comments below. And join the Young Corporate page where we’re talking about career success, corporate citizenship, and more.
