Whether you recently moved to Memphis or you’ve called the city home your entire life, it is important to have reliable work at your disposal. However, if you’re out of work, you may wonder where to turn during your job search. While hitting the pavement and walking around town may help you come across entry-level jobs at restaurants and boutiques, if you’re looking for an upper-level job, there are better ways to use your time. So when looking for work, here are a few ways to find a job in Memphis.
Brush Up That Resume
Now is the perfect time to update and touch up your resume. However, don’t have just one. There will be different positions for which you’ll want to highlight different skills. If you’re hitting the streets to hand out resumes at restaurants or clothing stores, have resumes on hand that are tailored to those jobs and highlight the skills and previous work experience you have in the specific industry.
If possible, have someone else read through your resume. They can point out mistakes and help you polish it.
Look for Openings
If you have a specific company you want to work for, head over to the company website and look for the Careers page, then check to see if there is an available opening. If you don’t find this information on the site, email the company directly to ask.
Next, you’ll want to check websites like LinkedIn and Monster, two of the largest job posting websites anywhere. You may also want to check The Commercial Appeal newspaper website to see what kinds of jobs are listed there as well.
Submit But Don’t Wait
Most jobs require submitting an application and resume online. However, after submitting, don’t just sit and wait. Continue looking. It may take some companies weeks, if not months, before they get around to filling a particular position. You probably don’t have that kind of time, so keep looking and applying.
Research
When a Memphis business calls and wants to bring you in for an interview, make sure to research the business. You need a strong understanding of what the business does, its history and what kind of products or services it offers. This way, during the interview process, you can ask questions. There will be a time during the interview when the human resources representative will ask if you have any questions. By asking well-thought-out questions regarding the company, you will demonstrate your knowledge and willingness to go the extra mile.
Finding the Right Job
These are just a handful of the ways you can go about looking for work in Memphis. Oftentimes, looking for work feels like a full-time job. So don’t get discouraged if you don’t get a quick response after submitting one application. Stick with it and keep looking. With a growing population and businesses coming in every week, you’ll find a job that fits your skill set perfectly.
Treat it as a full-time job
Looking for work in Memphis is a full-time job. It is important to wake up as if you’re preparing for work and to hit the digital pavement early. Visit the website of companies you’d like to work with (often, jobs are listed directly on these sites prior to larger job forums and listing pages), check out websites you have registered with to see if there’s anything new, and do everything in your power to improve your ability to land a job.
There might be some days when there simply is nothing else you can do for the job hunt. Should that happen, that is perfectly fine. Just do everything you can every day. Putting in the effort will drastically increase your ability to find a job in Memphis.
Additional training
You need to remain proactive and do what you can to improve your attractiveness to potential employees. If you’re not finding (or landing) a job right away, you might want to consider adding additional training to your resume.
There are a number of ways you can do this. One of the best (depending on the kind of job you’re looking for) is through certification courses. If you work as an office administrator, you can receive certifications for your skills in Microsoft Office and a number of Google applications. There are locations around town that will then allow you to test your skills, and, should you pass, you’ll receive certification for your skills directly from Microsoft (or Google). This is a nice bullet point to place on your resume.
Teach yourself something new
While job hunting is a full-time job, you may not be able to spend the entire day hitting the pavement. During the extra time, try to teach yourself something new. Consider what will make your resume that much better for your particular line of work. If you work in marketing, look into mobile application design. You know your line of work and what businesses are interested in. Use this information to develop a new skill and improve your job landing potential.
Network
There are networking events throughout town. You can find information on these events at a number of locations. Check out the We Are Memphis website to start. You can also look at the local newspaper for listings on networking activities. The website MeetUp is great for highlighting events and groups around town, including networking events. You can even search for “networking events in Memphis” on Facebook.
Head out to the events you can make. After long days of looking for work, it can be good to get out of the house for a bit. Make sure to have business cards and consider including your LinkedIn address on the cards. This will include your active resume (so you don’t have to carry around a briefcase of your resume at these events).
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