7 Things You Must Do Before Applying to Jobs

When you’ve just started the job hunt, it can be tempting to immediately get to blasting out resumes and hitting “apply” to a bunch of online listings, but you might be missing out on a key part of the job search—preparation.

Getting a few things in place before you start sending applications out can help set you up for success. That’s why we’ve collected some key things to think about and do at the very start of your job search—to make sure that it ends with an offer in hand.

1. Before you send out any applications, you should do a little work on your online reputation to make sure it’s up to hiring managers’ par. (Huffington Post)
2. This is the one most important thing you can do on LinkedIn before you start clicking “apply” on some of those job listings. (Lifehacker)
3. Giving some thought to these three things will make that job hunt go much more smoothly. (The Chronicle)
4. Here’s why asking yourself what you’re optimizing for before you get started will help you go in the right direction. (LinkedIn)
5. Soul searching might be just as essential to your job search. (Brazen Careerist)
6. Before you start looking for new opportunities, figure out how you really feel about your current job. (LinkedIn)
7. If you’re currently employed but looking for your next job, make sure to get your strategy in place ahead of time to avoid getting found out by your current boss. (The Undercover Recruiter)