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When most job seekers start their search, they type the same thing into job boards: their desired job title. "Marketing Manager," "Business Analyst," or "Project Coordinator." But here's the thing - you're limiting yourself, and you might be missing out on your dream job without even knowing it.
Think about it: companies don't always use the same titles for similar roles. One company's "Program Manager" might be another's "Project Lead" or even "Implementation Specialist." If you're only searching for specific titles, you're missing out on potentially perfect positions just because they're named differently.
Search for Skills Instead of Titles
Here's a game-changing approach: start searching for keywords related to what you actually want to do. Instead of typing "Marketing Manager" into the search bar, try searching for skills and responsibilities like:
"content strategy"
"social media management"
"email campaigns"
"brand development"
By focusing on keywords, you'll discover positions you never knew existed. Maybe you'll find that a "Digital Communications Specialist" role actually aligns perfectly with your skills and career goals, even though you never would have searched for that title.
How to Identify Your Keywords
Start by making a list of:
Technical skills you enjoy using (like "SQL," "Tableau," or "Adobe Creative Suite")
Soft skills you excel at (such as "stakeholder management" or "cross-functional collaboration")
Tasks you love doing (like "event planning" or "data analysis")
Industries or subjects you're passionate about (such as "healthcare technology" or "sustainability")
These become your search keywords. When you search for "data visualization" instead of "Data Analyst," you might find roles in marketing, research, consulting, or journalism that all use these skills but with completely different titles.
Use these keywords in your resume and cover letter
Real-World Example
Let's say you're currently a Project Coordinator who loves the event planning aspects of your job. Instead of just searching for "Event Planner" positions, try searching for keywords like:
"trade shows"
"conference planning"
"vendor management"
"event logistics"
"participant experience"
Suddenly, you might discover positions like "Experience Designer," "Corporate Relations Manager," or "Client Success Manager" that heavily involve event planning but offer different career paths you hadn't considered.
Make Your Search More Effective
To maximize this approach:
Use combinations of keywords to narrow results (like "data analysis" AND "healthcare")
Try different variations of similar terms ("trade shows," "exhibitions," "conferences")
Save your searches on job boards to receive alerts when new positions match your keywords
Look at the required skills in interesting job posts to identify additional keywords
Remember, the goal isn't just to find a job with a certain title - it's to find work that aligns with your skills and interests. By searching with keywords instead of titles, you're opening doors to opportunities you might never have discovered otherwise.
Your next dream job might have a title you've never even heard of before. Don't let rigid title searches hold you back from finding it.
So, you've spent hours crafting what you believe is the perfect resume. But wait! Are you unknowingly sabotaging your job search with common resume mistakes? Let's dive into the six critical errors that could be keeping you from landing your dream job.