5 Job Search Tips for Millenials

Landing your dream job is easier said than done for the millennial generation. You have to play by a different set of rules. With that in mind, check out these 5 tips to help you find your perfect career.

Millennials are the last generation to remember what life was like before devices became an extra appendage to most people. They have the benefit of growing up with technology, but also with the ability to entertain themselves.

If you fall in the “millennial” category, you likely have a lot of common sense mixed with hard and soft skills. You could be every employer’s dream employee if you found the right job.

The problem is that you also fall within a highly stereotyped generation.

Since the pandemic, millennials continue to remain unemployed in the highest numbers. Employers see Gen X’ers as more experienced and dependable. Gen Z’s get a chance because they are just starting out in the job field.

Typical career advice for a millennial doesn’t always work. When your resume is full of layoffs due to a volatile employment market, it’s hard to get an employer to take you seriously.

But you also have a lot of strengths you can use in your favor. You don’t have to take the first job that comes your way. Instead, use these job search tips to find your perfect career.

1. Re-evaluate Your Goals

When you graduated high school, you probably “knew” what you wanted to do for a career. Then, getting into the real world opened your eyes to the millions of other potential jobs you never knew existed.

Just because you were on one career path for a while doesn’t mean you need to stay there. Now that you know more about yourself as an adult, it’s time to re-evaluate your goals.

There are endless possibilities that you could do with your life. What are you passionate about? How can you turn that into your money-making activity?

From freelancing and blogging to working in the corporate world, there is something that will set your heart on fire. Find it and follow that trail!

2. Take Advantage of Social Media

Most employers and college admission boards look at social media before accepting an applicant for an interview.

There are lots of people who argue that this “shouldn’t” be acceptable, but arguing doesn’t change the fact that it’s standard practice. There’s nothing illegal or unethical about a potential employer or college board checking up on what you put out there. Social media is, after all, a public record.

While social media can mess up someone’s career trajectory, you can do the opposite.

Use your platforms and networking to your advantage. Clean up anything that could be “unprofessional” and follow the feeds that continue to help your knowledge grow.

3. Make the Most of Your Resume

While being a Millennial often seems like it comes with a lot of struggles, there are tons of pros your generation can embrace. You have opportunities that generations before you didn’t get to exploit.

You remember what it’s like before technology became second-nature, but you also grew up with it. This likely makes you just as comfortable doing things yourself as it does to use digital tricks to make the job easier.

When it comes to finding the perfect career, the recipe to do the job is a mix of common sense and artificial intelligence.

For example, you can use the internet to hire a resume writer to spotlight your skills. These people can design a resume formatted to catch the attention of an employer. They also know how to write your resume with keywords and tricks to make it past any applicant tracking system.

From there, post your new resume on job search sites like Indeed and Monster. You’ll need to do the heavy lifting of preparing your resume. But once it’s on the job sites, the employers may come to you!

These are definitely perks Millennials can enjoy that Gen X’ers aren’t always comfortable with and Gen Z’ers aren’t ready for yet.

4. Learn the New World of Interviewing

This is not your parents’ job-hunting era anymore.

Living in a post-pandemic society means you have to relearn how to do basic things, like prepare for an interview. Many employers love the freedom and flexibility a remote interview gives them.

If you learn the tricks to acing a virtual interview, you’ll prefer them over the traditional methods, too.

• The first and most essential tip is to create an uncluttered and distraction-free environment. It’s never a good thing to have your phone ringing during the interview or kids screaming in the background.

(Whether your pet joining you is a pro or a con, though, depends on the potential employer.)

• The next necessity is to make sure your computer equipment is up to the task. A dropped interview due to poor reception or slow wireless could signal the end of your job chance, too.
• Finally, choose your wardrobe as though you were going to the in-person interview. The effort you put into your appearance will show through to the other person. If you have to jump up fast, you don’t have to worry about your pajama bottoms being visible on-screen.

Without the extra stress of traveling, you might find virtual interviews much easier to tackle!

5. Upgrade Your Skills

Even if you already have a major picked out or a college degree, the more knowledge you have, the better.

Online learning has never been more accessible or affordable. If you’ve changed your mind about the career you want, or you can’t find any openings in your major, it might be time to expand your skills.

These days, you can get the knowledge to get hired for many in-demand jobs online. Some of these require certification and other companies will hire you if you prove you know your stuff. These include careers like:

• Freelance writing or artistry
• Engineering and data analytics
• Coding
• App developers
• Marketing

It’s a digital world out there. If you’re comfortable learning online and you have a knack for something specific, you may be able to get the training from the comfort of your own home.

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for a better position or something to replace your last one, entering the job search field as a Millennial can be tough. With a resume that isn’t exactly chronological and a mix of competition from Gen X and Gen Z, you have to be strategic.

These job tips only work for Millennials. Use them to find your perfect career and stop the search cycle fast!