How to Be More Desirable to Employers

Even if you love your current job, there will be a time when you want to find a different one. Maybe your current employer will downsize and necessitate a career change. Perhaps you’ll want to find a position that challenges you in new ways.

The job search process isn’t fun for anyone. Here are some things that you can do to be more desirable to employers, which will shorten your job search process and make you a more competitive candidate.

Have a Job

Much like how people in relationships are more attractive than singletons, having a job makes you a more desirable candidate to employers. If you’ve been unemployed for a long period of time, it’s natural for prospective employers to wonder why none of the other companies you interviewed with hired you. They may even feel that they’re missing a red flag in your application that other employers found.

Instead, try to look for a new job when you still have a job. If you’ve been laid off, even a stop gap job you take between your last and next job is better than being unemployed. Not only do employers prefer it, but having an income coming in will enable you to wait for the right job to come along and not take the first job offer that comes your way.

Avoid Complaining About Your Current Employer

How you treat your past employers says a lot about how you’ll interact with your next one. If you’ve complained about past employers on social media or say negative things about them in an interview, prospective employers naturally wonder what you’ll say about them in the future.

Even if your last job ended terribly, you worked for a tyrant, and they didn’t pay you on time, you shouldn’t mention this to your future employer during the interview process. Simply let them know that it wasn’t a good fit, you’re glad for the learning experience, and emphasize why this role is a much better fit for everybody.

Send Follow-Ups and Thank Yous

Interviews are time consuming for hiring managers and human resource professionals. If you’ve been extended an interview, make sure to send a follow-up and thank you note to show appreciation for their time. Not enough people do this, so these simple actions will make your application stand out against the rest of the applicants.

Research the Company

Nobody wants to hire someone who sent their resume blindly to 300 companies. Employers want to hire someone who is invested in their company. Before an interview, make sure that you know what the company does, who their competitors are, and any relevant industry trends.

Finding a job is never fun, but having a new position is probably worth all the effort. Do what you can to make yourself more desirable as a job candidate so the process is much more streamlined and efficient. You may just end up with a job that you truly love and won’t want to leave.