How to Look for a New Job

Job security is probably the number one thing most of us are looking for in jobs nowadays, especially after this stupid pandemic. There is a sort of peace of mind that comes with job security. No matter what happens, you will have a job, which means you will have a paycheck, which means you can pay your rent and food. But sometimes, we need to get out of toxic workplaces or know we are worth more elsewhere. How to look for a new job is a necessary skill regardless of whatever reason you have to find a new job. But change can be scary.

I have a weird love/hate relationship with change. Change can be the most empowering experience of your life, but it is also terrifying. With change comes the unknown, and with the unknown comes a buttload of anxiety. But change also brings growth, and you can never really be ready for growth because it’s always new. 

We always think of heroes saving the world or knights slaying dragons when we use the word courageous, but taking on any new change and overcoming your fear of the unknown is courageous. It takes courage to live your life in a way you see fit instead of settling and letting the fear dictate how to go about your day-to-day.

Step 1: The Prep

Before you can log in to a recruitment or job listing website and search for a job, there are two major things you need to do. Firstly, it’s time to vamp up your resume. Most of us don’t bother to keep our resumes updated once we get a new job. So instead of using your old resume that is outdated and no longer highlights the skills you have now, update it. If you need help putting together a new resume, look no further. I got you. (Have someone you trust go over your new resume for any mistakes.) 

Secondly, be prepared for the basic interview questions you know will be asked. Of course, you can’t be ready for every question under the sun, and there might be some questions specific to your industry you won’t know about until they ask them. But you can prepare for the soft-toss questions. Here is a list of the 50 most commonly asked questions that you can easily prepare for if they come your way—no need to stress the easy part of an interview. 

Step 2: The Search

Searching for a new job is simultaneously the easiest and hardest part of the process. I don’t know about you, but some of the simple things in life are so hard to do sometimes. My brain says no to things, and being the stubborn a** that it refuses to reconsider. In high school, it would just decide that it does not want to do a particular piece of homework. As a result, I graduated high school with a 2.97 GPA to my mother’s chagrin. (Shocker, I know.) 

But once you start looking for a job, there is no stopping, or you might lose steam until you have to spend your next 40 hours at your job. There are so many ways to find jobs, but the easiest one is through all of the job listing websites. Here is a compiled list of those websites for you. 

Step 3: Apply

I know saying to apply to jobs seems rather obvious, which it is, but I just wanted to take a moment to talk about imposter syndrome and shooting your shot. There are so many people in the workforce who are not qualified to have their jobs. Maybe it’s your boss. But when it comes to applying to jobs, it’s all about having the self-confidence to shoot your shot. You don’t need to check every box they are looking for in their description. Maybe your imposter syndrome has you thinking that you aren’t good enough or that you don’t belong. Well, that is complete and utter nonsense. Half of being an adult is faking it till you make it, which is even more true in the workforce. 

Know Your Worth

Fear should never dictate how you live your life, and looking for a new job can be scary. Why would you leave a perfectly okay job that you have learned to tolerate for something other than it? You shouldn’t settle in a relationship or at work. Know your worth both as an individual who brings skills and a different perspective than others and in salary. Get your bag, and don’t feel bad about it. 

Good luck with the job hunt, and I hope you find everything you are looking for in your next job. You deserve it!