A new year and a new you sometimes means a new job. That’s the case for my fantastic former marketing manager, who decided to go back to full-time work in 2020. When she told me she will be looking for a full-time job in the new year, I gave her three things to do immediately and wanted to share them with you too!

1. Make a list of the companies you want to work for. The list should be no less than 10 and no more than 15. Think about the industries, products or locations you would love to give you ideas on generating your short list.

2. Research! Go to the company websites and search in careers. Their website is typically more up to date than the job boards or social sites.  Check out their management team and google them to see what the news has been saying about the company.

3. Connect. My favorite part… if you see a job you are interested in, look on LinkedIn to see who you, or who your connections, know that works (or worked) for the company. The new year is a great reason to reach out and wish everyone well. While you are doing that, you can mention that you are interested in making a career move. See what they like about the company or why they left. If you are on good terms, maybe there is someone they can put you in touch with.

It is fine to apply online but only 2% of jobs are filled that way. Combine the approach with a personal introduction to get your resume to the top of the pile. That’s how more than 85% of jobs are found – by relationships!

Good luck on your job search and check out more tips on my YouTube channel playlist.