New Year, New Job: Preparing for a Job Search

Finding a new job is one of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions, right up there with losing weight, exercising more, and saving money. January is well-known as one of the best times to start a job search, as managers have their new budgets in place, most people are back at work, especially decision-makers, and companies have put off hiring until after the holidays, so they’re starting the year with open positions, just waiting for the right candidate to walk through their door. Maybe that’s you.
If you want a new job in the new year, you’ll need to start now to hit the ground running. After all, January is right around the corner. Don’t be caught up short when the new year starts.
Have an Honest Conversation with Yourself
As Joe Jackson famously sang, “You can’t get what you want ‘til you know what you want.” You know you want a new job, but that’s not enough to get started. What kind of new job do you want? Do you want to change industries? Departments? Location? And what do you want out of your new job? More money? A better position? At this point, the reason you’re looking for a new job isn’t as important as what you want out of that new job. Until you know the end of the journey, you don’t know how to get there.
Update your Resume
Once you’ve figured out what kind of job you’re looking for, you’ll need to update your resume. Most likely, you have a resume already, but odds are it’s not updated. Take a moment now, before your job search gets started, to update your resume. You should update it to include your most recent job title, as well as any noteworthy projects you’ve been involved with. Writing a good resume can be challenging, so don’t be afraid to look on the web for advice!
Secure your References
When it comes to a job search, one of the most important elements is often left until the very end – employee references. Employee references may not seem as important as having a great resume, but they can make the difference when there are two (or more) qualified candidates for a job.
So today, before you start applying for a job, take a moment to consider who you’ll ask for a reference. Ideally, your references will be people you’ve worked with recently, and at least one should be a supervisor or manager. But remember, you should always ask permission before giving someone’s name and contact information as a reference, and never list someone as a reference when you don’t know that what they’ll say.
Check your Tech
Thanks to the COVID pandemic, technology has become an even bigger part of our working lives. With more people working remotely, more meetings are happening virtually, and that includes job interviews.
Odds are that at least some, if not most, of your interviews, will happen over Zoom or on another platform. Preparing for an interview these days involves more than making sure that your interview clothes are clean and wrinkle-free. You need to be sure that you have a strong internet connection, that you’re well lit, and that your voice comes over clearly. You may have to adjust your interview environment and possibly upgrade some of your equipment. But it’s worth it to make sure that your job chances aren’t hurt by any glitches.
Work with a Recruiting Firm
Recruiting firms are the perfect place to find a new job. These are the people who are most likely to know about any positions that haven’t been listed yet, and they’ll know how to greatly improve your odds of finding a new job.
Let Optimum Staffing Solutions Guide You

Optimum Staffing Solutions can help both candidates and employers with the placement of accounting professionals. For the best staffing agencies in Greensboro, NC, as well as for the best staffing agencies in Charlotte, NC, contact Optimum Staffing Solutions.
A Greensboro temp agency, an Atlanta temp agency, as well as a Charlotte temp agency, Optimum, can provide your company with a highly skilled freelancer, contract, temporary, or direct hire professional along with HR Services. Of the temp agencies in Greensboro, NC, Atlanta, GA, and the temp agencies in Charlotte, NC, Optimum offers small to medium-sized businesses a wealth of talent to fill their positions.
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