In Vietnam, looking for new employment after the Tet holiday is a common occurrence. Between the months of January or February to April, job hunters will be busy applying for work whilst recruiters will be reviewing hundreds of resumes to search for the best candidates. As a job seeker, you’ll have plenty of competition during this time. You’ll need to step up on your efforts and make your application stand out from the rest.

According to a survey by SmallBizGenius, 73% of job hunters consider looking for a job as one of the most stressful events in life. To help ease your concerns, here are some useful tips to guide you in your job search, get noticed by recruiters, and improve your chances of securing the job you’re applying for.

1. Know what you want in your career

Assess your career goals, skills, strengths, weaknesses, and your job experience. Ask yourself: Are they aligned to the kind of work that you want to pursue? What do you need to improve on? What are the things that will make you feel satisfied in a job? Is a higher salary or rank important to you? What kind of working environment and company culture will keep you engaged and motivated? Will you be comfortable working during certain hours and in particular locations? Being aware of what you want will guide you in looking for the kind of job that is best for you.

2. Research about what the organisation is looking for in an employee

Knowing about the company’s business will help make a great impression in the interview. But before you get there, learn more about their company culture so you’ll know the kind of people they’re looking for to be part of their team. Notice the keywords that they use to describe their organisation. Are they similar to your own personality, values, and qualifications? This will help you realise if you’ll be a perfect fit in their company. Use those keywords in your resume to help you get noticed by the company you’re applying for.

3. Customise your resume to the specific job

Remember: the goal of your resume is to secure an interview. Making a “one-size-fits-all” resume will not capture the attention of recruiters and managers. Even if the job title is the same, each company will have slight differences in the qualifications and requirements. That’s why it’s important to create a tailor-fit resume that targets every job you’re applying for. Simply tweak it by highlighting skills and achievements in your resume that the company is particularly looking for.

4. Include numeric data in your resume

Adding measurable achievements is not only limited to sales-related jobs. Numbers provide hard evidence that grabs the attention of recruiters and employers to help them gauge your skills. For example, you can mention that you’ve written 20 blogs per month for a client with 500,000 followers. Find the kind of metrics that will work best to back up your achievements.

5. Be a STAR in your cover letter

STAR is short for situation, task, action, and result. This will guide you on how you want to highlight your accomplishments when you introduce yourself in your cover letter. Don’t make it too lengthy. Just enough examples to encapsulate what the employer is looking for in a candidate. This will also help them to remember you amidst other applicants with a generic cover letter.

6. Don’t underestimate yourself

Some job seekers don’t bother to apply for a job if they see that they don’t completely match the qualifications. Take a look again. If you actually meet most of the qualifications and you’re willing to learn the required tasks, then go ahead and apply with confidence. Mention in your resume your past achievements with skills that you had to learn on the job.

7. Maximise LinkedIn resources

Did you know that for 90% of recruiters, LinkedIn is their leading platform in searching for candidates? Make sure that you have a LinkedIn profile and keep it updated with your recent achievements and new skills that you’ve learned. Take advantage of LinkedIn Learning webinars and online training sessions. You’ll gain invaluable insights from experts in the field that will come in handy in your line of work or if you want to switch to a new career. Foster connections by networking with your colleagues or follow industry leaders that can open up more job opportunities.

8. Network offline

Whilst job searching and applications are done online, you might want to consider doing some offline work to boost your chances. Do networking with your contacts at companies that you’d like to work for. You can even reach out to the hiring manager to make your enquiries. This may seem forward but in doing so, you connect with them as a real person beyond your online profile and your active interest in the job offer will make you stand out more.

9. Be extra prepared for interviews

Do your research on how to respond to common questions and practise them beforehand. Be ready to answer specific questions about your work experience as mentioned in your resume. Learn more about the company and prepare your own questions for the interviewer as well. Whilst it’s normal to ask about the salary and the benefits eventually in the interview, come up with questions about the company and the job role itself so the recruiter or employer can see your sincere interest in being a part of their organisation.

10. Make a good impression with a follow-up

Right after an interview, send the recruiter or the hiring manager a thank-you note for taking the time to meet with you and for their interest in your application. If you haven’t received feedback yet after a week – whether from the time you’ve sent out your application or from the interview date – make a quick call or send a short email to follow up. These gestures demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job which counts a lot for the employer.

Connect with the leading talent sourcing company in Vietnam

Make the right steps in your job search after the Tết holiday by getting in touch with The Talent Consultants, the professionals in workforce management in Vietnam. We are an industry-leading talent acquisition consultant in Ho Chi Minh City that provides multinational businesses with the most qualified candidates from a diverse pool of rich talent across the Southeast Asian region.

If you’re on the lookout for work, explore more career opportunities at our job vacancies page. Read more tips to help you with your job hunting. Feeling nervous for your interview? Check out our blog on what to do if your mind goes blank during an interview. We also have free online resources for additional guidance during job interviews.

Let’s help you get started for the New Year. Send your CV here or contact us on +84 28 7309 7991 for more details.