This is going to be a little different blog. I hope though it will help a lot of people who might be in my former situation.

I was back on the job market unexpectedly. Last time I looked around five years ago, as soon as I started looking it was a frenzy of interviews and offers within a week. This time around there was a lot of uncertainty. My thinking had to change how I looked for a new position. This certainly was not a great market to be looking. However I found several things that worked so I hope someone can use this as a guide. I targeted a Sitecore position, but this can be for any type of job hunt.

Here are my top things to do:

• Network Constantly – You are already doing that here, but you need to use LinkedIn and reach out to every one of your contacts. Ask connections to share your profile. Networking will help you get past the job boards quicker and get your resume on to the hiring manager’s desk.
• Use AI to Strengthen your Resume and Profile – I used ChatGPT and it really polished up my resume. It removed anything that was irrelevant and summed up older work experience.Use AI to help you write a more polished LinkedIn profile if needed. 
• Practice Interviews with AI – Let AI know who you are interviewing with and it will help you practice.
• Research Sitecore Partners and their Clients – You can find a list of Sitecore Partners here. Dig deeper into Sitecore partners and find out if any of their current/former clients have job openings.
• Use targeted job searches and alerts – LinkedIn job alerts worked especially well for me. I kept searches simple with keywords like “Sitecore”. I used Google to find job opening as well as it lists companies hiring and keeps track of ones you applied to.
• Look Beyond Job Sites – If there’s a specific area you want to target, look for those types of sites and look at their job openings. They don’t always post on job sites. 
• Look for Advice from Outside Resources – Check out various YouTube channels for advice. I liked the life after layoffs channel.
• Maintain Your Daily Work Structure – Keep your schedule similar to how you would if you were working. Get up and be productive the same time you would normally work.
• Exercise and Take Care of Your Mental Health – Only consistent thing in my life has been running. The physical and mental benefits will help you stay focused.
• Give Yourself a Break – Looking for a new position is a job in itself. Take a breather.
• Take on Side Projects if Needed – Do some freelancing to occupy your time. Lots of small businesses can benefit from event a simple WordPress site.

If you are going through a tough time right now, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t give up. Now is the time to keep moving forward.

For some reason this song kept playing in my playlist. I think it was talking to me. 🙂 I hope this blog helped you in some way.