While searching for a new job may look a lot different today than it did at the beginning of 2020, candidates are still relying on traditional strategies to find work.

According to a poll from ForceBrands’ LinkedIn page, with an audience of 100,000 professionals, the majority of people (49 percent) found their last job by tapping into their personal network.

One of the ways today’s job seekers can tap into their personal network is by combing through LinkedIn connections of those in their inner circle and asking for an introduction. Once you’ve forged a new connection, be proactive. Don’t expect that a single phone call will land you a job. Preparation goes a long way during these introductory discovery calls. Determine how your unique skill set can best add immediate value to the organization and be prepared to discuss it in detail, along with your long-term career goals.

Especially in today’s climate where face-to-face interaction has largely been replaced with Zoom calls, be engaged, thoughtful, and targeted in your approach to the job search. For many, office locations are a thing of the past.

“I walked in and applied. I talked to the hiring manager and within two days, I got the call,” said one of the survey’s respondents, who added that “that was a long time ago when life was simpler.”

Today’s job seekers have to get more creative, especially amid a pandemic and a largely virtual workforce. When it comes to landing a new job, most respondents turned to the Internet.

According to ForceBrands’ poll conducted in October, 24 percent of the 600 respondents found their last job through job boards. ForceBrands’ online job board features more than 4,500 roles across beverage, food, beauty, cannabis, and pet.

The third most popular way people found their last job was through an executive recruiter (18 percent), followed by browsing opportunities on a company’s website (9 percent).

Interested in getting your search for your next great career move underway? Reach out to us to start the conversation.