If you’re looking for your next job opportunity, you may be feeling a bit stressed out. Finding a new job is not for the faint of heart and takes patience, even when you feel like throwing in the towel. The most important thing is to believe in yourself and not settle—the right job for you is out there, and you deserve to find a job you like. Plus, an interviewer will be able to tell if you’re just not that into a job, so it’s best to be honest and true to yourself, rather than losing hope and attempting to take the first job you can find. It’s a better idea to refine your job search and find the perfect position for you.
Top e-commerce job search tips
In the quest for your next exciting e-commerce job, it helps to have a plan. It’s been said that when you know where you’re going, you’re more likely to get there—and this is also true of your e-commerce job search. Review the following tips to incorporate into your search strategy:
- Decide exactly what you want. Job boards can be an intimidating place. E-commerce is a booming industry and you may be bombarded with lots of potential options—but which should you go after? Take some time to think about exactly what you want from your next position. Write a list that includes industry, roles and responsibilities, corporate culture, management style, remote or on-site work, etc. Then, you’ll be able to automatically narrow your search as you scroll through potential openings.
- Ask for a referral. Amongst your professional network, do you have a contact at a company for which you’d love to work? Approach them through LinkedIn, by phone or even meet up for coffee, and ask for a referral for an open position. This benefits you both—many companies offer referral incentives when a potential hire works out. And many referred candidates have increased chances of landing an interview and getting hired. Work that network!
- Grow your network. If your professional network isn’t as robust as you’d like, take steps to expand it. Join professional organizations, especially those connected to your target company/companies. Do some research of the leadership team within your target companies through their website and social media—what organizations do they support and where do they volunteer? Offer to volunteer for those same organizations for some common ground, and possibly an introduction to a future coworker.
- Get involved in the industry. A great way to land a new job is when the job comes to you. And you can do this by putting yourself out there! Positioning yourself as a subject matter expert is easy these days, with loads of technology at your fingertips. You can write articles and post them directly to LinkedIn, or start your own blog and share your posts through Facebook and Twitter. You can take it a step further by offering to speak at an industry conference—a great way to get your name out to many people at once. In the least, attending industry conferences gives you a chance to meet others in the e-commerce industry.
- Freelance. Many companies hire freelancers readily because it’s easier and faster than bringing someone on board full-time. Though this might not be your ideal working situation, it’s a way to get started and build your experience—plus you may find you enjoy the freedom of the freelancing lifestyle. You can easily set yourself up to win freelance gigs by joining a freelance marketplace. Here you can set up a profile and hiring parameters, giving employers the chance to contact you if you fit their project needs. Freelance jobs can often turn into full-time, remote work, so you never know what the future holds!
- Speak up in online e-commerce forums. E-commerce professionals often spend time in online forums, gathering information and feedback on various industry-related questions. If you’re an expert on a particular topic, why not offer your thoughts and share your knowledge? You can follow that by hinting you’re available for hire—this is a subtle way of finding an “in” with a potential employer.
- Work with a recruiter. You can cut your time and stress down when you partner with a recruiter specializing in the e-commerce space. Recruiters handle the backend of the job search process and will contact you when you match a job opportunity. The good news is that brokers want to succeed for their clients, so if you’re contacted—you can rest assured you’re a good match and have a great opportunity to land the position.
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