How do I find the most relevant jobs?

JobLeads screens thousands of job sites, company pages, and headhunter offerings that match the skills, experience, and interest of our clients on a 24/7 basis.

But, despite having millions of great jobs in our database, you won’t find what you’re looking for without the right search strategy.

The most important criteria are the keywords/search terms you use as well as the location (if you're not seeking a remote job). 

It might sound simple, but one of the most common reasons job seekers can’t find sufficient opportunities and therefore get frustrated is that they only have one or two job titles or keywords in mind. They stick to these throughout their job search and wonder why the return is limited. To uncover that dream job, you’ve got to be a little more creative!

In fact, when coaching job seekers, we encourage a 3-level search model. Let’s break that down:

Search Level 1 – Defining the most efficient search terms

To find the right keywords you first need to identify what kind of role you are looking for and which job titles and keywords reflect that role.

We recommend starting with your current or desired job title. Try a few variations. For example, if you’re a senior marketing professional, you might try Marketing Director, Marketing Manager, Senior Marketing Specialist, and so on. Although there are similarities between roles, you can see that the keywords are slightly different.

Although modern search technologies automatically use synonyms, you should identify your own to turn as many stones as possible (e.g. for ‘automobile’ also try ‘car’, ‘auto’, ‘vehicle’, or specific car brands). Just a little trial and error will help you to quickly figure out which terms match the role you’re looking for.

Something to bear in mind is that different companies may use alternative titles for similar roles (e.g., ‘IT Consultant’ could be ‘Tech Genius’ or even ‘PC Ninja’!). Or the same title may mean something else in different industries ('customer relations' is completely different in a theme park vs the automobile industry).

Job titles may also be used as a marketing tool to make the job more attractive, which can be misleading (hence all the ‘guru’, ‘ninja’, and ‘rockstar’ jobs out there). So, don´t be afraid to experiment with keywords to see what comes up. If you see certain keywords in job postings that appeal to you, integrate them in your job search.

Using Chat-GPT to identify Keywords

To get some inspiration for appropriate keywords or variations, Chat-GPT is a fantastic resource.

Here is an example prompt you can use when searching for an “Online Marketing Manager” role that can easily be adapted for your ideal role types: I am looking for a role as an online marketing manager in the automobile industry. I have 5 years of experience. Can you create a list of keywords for me I can use in job searches?

ChatGPT will quickly deliver a list of search terms, such as:

• Digital Marketing Manager Auto Industry
• Online Marketing Specialist Automobile
• Auto Industry Digital Strategist
• E-Commerce Marketing Manager Automotive
• Automotive Digital Brand Manager
• Car Marketing Manager Online
• Vehicle Digital Marketing Strategist
• Online Marketing Director Automotive

Or just use the following prompt to get variations for your keywords: I am searching for a job as a Financial Controller. Can you please give me a list of variations and synonyms for the search term "financial controller.”

Another way would be pasting your complete resume in ChatGPT and aks for a list of search terms / keywords you can use for your job search. Simply write: What are 10 job titles I could use as search terms based on my resume below.

Although it's not always 100% accurate, ChatGPT is a great way to quickly get some inspiration for your job search.

Search Level 2 – Location and radius

As more and more people apply for remote jobs, the location is not necessarily an essential search criteria anymore. However, it is still necessary to narrow the results list down to locations you’d like to work, to capture remote opportunities eligible for workers in that location (for payroll/income tax regulation purposes).

You can narrow your search down to the country, city or even a zip code, as well an ideal distance radius from that location. If you are looking for a job in Manhattan, the distance radius indicates which jobs are found in and around Manhattan. It is important to define the acceptable distance or time that you are willing to commute to a job if you are unwilling to move.

Search Level 3 – Narrow down your search results by using filters

If the job title and keywords you have used for your search deliver too many results or you want them to be more precise (e.g., certain industries or salary ranges), you can always apply filters to your search. 

JobLeads offers the following filter criteria that can be edited on the left-hand side of the job search page:

• Source of the job (company webpage, headhunter, job board, or other)
• Desired salary
• Location
• Company
• Career level 
• Functional area
• Industry
• Publication range (up to 30 days)

Create multiple searches with different search criteria variations

As you can’t integrate all variations in one search, we always recommend creating different searches with different search terms. Save only those with the most promising results.

Setting up a job alerts / email notifications

As new jobs are published 24/7, you want to ensure you get notified when vacancies for your search criteria are posted. When saving a job search on JobLeads, you can set up a job alert to instantly notify you when new jobs are posted. This way, you will be the first to know and can get ahead of the competition.

To manage your job alerts, click the “Saved Searches” button with the star in the magnifying glass at the top of the search results. You can also manage them in the “Quick links” table on the left side of the homepage, where you can also edit, delete, or activate/deactivate your saved searches.

Conclusion:

By following just a few simple steps, you’ll accelerate your job search by streamlining your process and maximizing the number of great job opportunities available to you on JobLeads! We understand that navigating the job market can be a complex and sometimes overwhelming task, but our aim is to simplify this journey for you. By utilizing these strategies, tips, and tools, we believe you'll be able to refine your search, discover more relevant opportunities, and ultimately, find the job that aligns with your skills, experience, and career goals.

Remember, job searching is a journey that requires patience and persistence, and we are here to support you every step of the way. Best of luck in your job search!