3 Things You Should Do If You 'Hate Your Job' & Want A New One By The End Of The Year, According To A Career Coach
Start fresh with a new job you enjoy.
fizkes | Shutterstock Deciding to leave a toxic workplace is challenging, especially when you don't yet have a new position lined up. Still, according to Michaela Alloca, an author and career coach, you don't have to accept being stuck in a toxic job — there are things you can do to make the job search both comfortable and successful.
Here are 3 things you should do if you ‘hate your job’ and want a new one, according to a career coach:
1. Make sure your resume is as perfect as possible.
Alloca admitted that your resume is your “foot in the door” when finding a new job. Pay attention to formatting, highlight the perfect experiences, and stand out among the other candidates.
You don't have to wait until you quit your current job to take this step. Spending a few minutes a day updating and editing your resume for new jobs and industries can be incredibly helpful in the long run.
She advised keeping your work experience in chronological order and tailoring your resume to the job you're applying for, even if that means creating multiple versions. You can also “keyword stack” by including keywords from the job description in your personal and skills sections.
“Look at the job description," she instructed, "and highlight the parts of your job experience that are related to that specific job."
2. Send a quick note to the recruiter after applying for a job.
“Remind them that you’ve applied and reiterate your interest,” Alloca suggested. “It could be something like, ‘Hi, I just applied to this role. I’m a great fit because of A, B, and C. I want to reiterate my interest.’”
While the recruiter might not be able to help you in the actual job process, there’s a slight chance they can pass along your information or even keep you in mind for another job.
“Add that you’re looking forward to discussing qualifications if [they] find it’s a good fit,” she added. “It puts a face to a name in front of a recruiter that’s looking at hundreds or thousands of resumes a week. So, if you’re applying to jobs and not hearing back, this could be something worth trying out.”
3. Prepare your questions for a potential interview.
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Even if you have not yet begun your job search interview process, you can always start prepping for your next job interview. By practicing your answers to common questions, you can build a portfolio of work experiences and anecdotes from which to draw.
Especially in the chaotic nature of our work lives, we often forget to record and appreciate our daily successes. Still, those are precisely the kinds of stories and achievements interviewers want to hear about.
Consider making a document where you can “brain dump” all of these daily successes, work achievements, and positive feedback you get from clients and colleagues. Not only will these aid your preparation for your next big interview, but they’ll also assist you in crafting a new resume and even boost your confidence when the job search gets tumultuous.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.