Since we began, ML6 Search + Talent Advisory has placed over 630 candidates with 170 diverse partners. These successful placements result from continuous communication, feedback, and staying on top of a fast-changing job market.
How is the current landscape evolving? What are the biggest challenges for both job seekers and employers? By combining candidate insights with the latest data, we help job seekers across all industries and backgrounds navigate the job market.
Today, we’re sharing five actionable tips based on real data to help you land your next job quickly and safely.
5 data-backed ways to land your next job!
1. Optimize Your LinkedIn for SEO
Did you know that six people are hired on LinkedIn every minute? This is a helpful reminder that as you look for your next job, recruiters offering that job are looking for you too.
By optimizing your LinkedIn page for the types of roles you’re trying to land, you make it easier for these recruiters to find you through LinkedIn’s search engine.
This mainly means adding relevant keywords to your profile headline, summary, skills, and experience sections. These sections should also include:
- Your name
- Locations (for example, “Software Engineer” + “job” + “Toronto” + “Canada” if you’re trying to get hired as a Software Engineer in Toronto)
- Industry keywords
- The word “jobs”
Learn more about how to improve your LinkedIn SEO.
2. Be Selective and Showcase Your Qualifications
As simple as it sounds, in a world of spray and pray applications, being more selective in the roles you apply for—and formatting your applications the right way—can be a faster route to getting hired.
This comes from unqualified talent being reported as a top-five issue for nearly half of employers. There are all sorts of possible reasons for this, but one of them is mass, unscrupulous applications by job seekers.
Taking a little extra time to make sure you’re qualified for the roles you’re applying for can help you stand out from the crowd.
Sometimes the problem isn’t that you’re underqualified but that your resume, cover letter, and portfolio don’t present you in the right light. To effectively show your qualifications, cover how your experience relates to the specific prerequisites included in the job description, down to using the same language.
For instance, if the job description highlights “relevant team management experience,” ensure your resume demonstrates this. You could phrase it as, “Led and managed teams of [X] size, successfully achieving [specific outcomes], such as improving efficiency by [Y]% and overseeing [Z] projects.” This approach provides concrete examples of your leadership abilities while aligning directly with the job requirements, making your experience more compelling to recruiters.
More generally, include as much of the language from job descriptions in your CV as possible (only where it’s natural, avoid stuffing keywords). This will help show relevant experience but also optimize your applications for the software recruiters use to sort through their applications.
3. Be Vigilant Against Employment Scams
When thinking of scams, banking and renting might come to mind, but job seekers are increasingly targeted. The Better Business Bureau reports an increase in job scams in the past several years, making it essential to stay alert during your job search.
Through phishing attacks, malware, and other methods, scammers are stealing passwords, financial information, and other personal details from job seekers.
Scammers use tactics like phishing, malware, and fake websites with slight misspellings (e.g., “Pepsii.com” instead of “Pepsi.com”) to steal personal information. Another common scheme involves fraudulent employers offering too-good-to-be-true benefits or rushing the hiring process while requesting sensitive information upfront.
All of this is to say that, while job scams are still rare, they are happening more and more. To stay safe in your job search, watch out for the signs above and others like them.
To protect yourself, remain cautious of red flags and take steps to verify the legitimacy of potential employers. While still relatively rare, these scams are becoming more prevalent, so it’s crucial to approach opportunities with vigilance.
4. Stay Up-To-Date with Job Growth by Industry
In terms of where job growth is happening, Stats Canada reported the following industries as having the most new openings in June 2023:
- Wholesale and retail trade (+33,000 jobs)
- Manufacturing (+27,000)
- Health care and social assistance (+21,000)
- Transportation and warehousing (+10,000)
This is where the demand is headed. Even if you’re not originally trained in these areas, if you’re interested, it could be worth seeing how you can pivot your skillset to apply to one of them.
Meanwhile, declines happened in the following industries:
- Construction (-14,000 jobs)
- Educational services (-14,000)
- Agriculture (-6,000)
This doesn’t mean you won’t land a job in these industries, just that you’ll be competing for fewer open positions.
5. Stay Up-To-Date with Job Growth by Location
If you’re not tied to one area of the country, relocating could be the key to landing your next role.
For example, 93% of Canada’s job growth is happening in Ontario. You read that right: 93%! If you want to be in the belly of the beast for Canadian job growth, Ontario is where it’s at.
Or, if your role is remote-friendly, you might not even need to move; just expand your search to also include Ontario-based roles.
6. Explore High-Paying Careers That Don’t Require a Degree
Not having the right education doesn’t have to stand in the way of getting a high-paying job.
According to Indeed, here are Canada’s top-paying jobs that don’t require a university degree:
- Warehouse Worker: $34,236/year
- Receptionist: $35,235/year
- Accounting Clerk: $44,220/year
- Landscape Technician: $44,262/year
- Miner: $45,156/year
- Theatre Practitioner: $48,318/year
- Translator: $49,316/year
- Dental Assistant: $49,753/year
- Claims Adjuster: $51,987/year
- Executive Chef: $63,788/year
- Maintenance Manager: $76,025/year
- Mobile Developer: $80,778/year
- Train Conductor: $85,393/year
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operator: $88,253/year
Keep in mind that the names of these roles can differ slightly. If a role sounds similar but doesn’t match exactly, it could still be worth applying to.
Hopefully, using these tips, this is the year you land the perfect role. Improve your chances even more by taking advantage of our free resources for job seekers (scroll to the bottom of the page).
For more help making your next job the right one, consider hiring a recruitment partner like ML6. From intake to offer, and beyond, we help provide you with a job search solution that’s tailored to your interests desires, and motivations.
Want More Career and Workplace Insights
Enjoyed these insights? Stay ahead in your career with more expert tips from the ML6 blog. Learn how to foster a supportive work environment by creating a workplace where employees feel comfortable asking for help: How and Why to Create a Workplace Where Employees Ask for Help!
About ML6 Search + Talent Advisory
Based in the Greater Toronto Area, ML6 Search + Talent Advisory is a trusted recruitment and talent advisory firm, specializing in Mining, Engineering, Technology, and Corporate Administration roles. We provide customized solutions across various recruitment models, including:
- Contingency Recruitment
- Executive Search
- Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
- Contract Staffing
Our expertise helps clients attract and retain the best talent through innovative people programs and industry-leading practices.
To connect with our team, visit our contact page.
