Companies hiring top talent often spend the first few months of every year focused on corporate strategy instead of recruitment, which will typically hinder your job search between January and March. After this initial rough patch, the market hits peaks and valleys based on the state of the economy, which explains the increase in unemployment during the pandemic. 

Hiring trends, however, tend to surge upward again at the end of the year, between October and December, because companies want to devote any leftover budget to new talent. 

The traditional “dead zone” of January through March will likely be exaggerated in 2021 as large companies recover from the effects of Covid-19, so don’t be disheartened if you fail to land a job before April. This summer may be the best time to actively search for and interact with potential employers before the September through December hiring surge. 

Now, let’s begin. 

People talk about the importance of having “transferable skills” on your resume all the time, but what do they really mean? 

Transferable skills are all of the things you’re good at that can be applied to various roles in various industries. For example, strong writing, time management, and problem-solving are all examples of what would be considered “transferable skills.” The fancier definition of this term is “an ability that isn’t highly specialized.” Non-transferable skills, often called “hard skills,” are specific to certain industries, like coding, animation, or graphic design. 

You might have been told to tailor your résumé for each role you apply for, but from what I’ve seen, that strategy won’t work in 2021. Many companies are nervous about hiring more specialized candidates because they’re unsure what the business landscape will look like after the pandemic. To show you are adaptable, generalize the skills on your resume into three main areas: systems-oriented, people-oriented, and self-oriented. 

Systems-oriented skills are associated with your areas of expertise. Under each role listed on your résumé, try to phrase these skills in a practical way to show how they can apply to a variety of positions and industries, not just your specified field. For example, suppose you worked as a content creator at a software company. In that case, highlight “business writing” on your resume and specify what you mean by including more distinct tasks — like creating blog posts or writing marketing emails — under your role. Doing so will help prove that you can apply this skill to any job rather than just at a software company. 

People-oriented skills highlight your ability to communicate with colleagues. Right now, companies value candidates who can collaborate remotely and have the potential to lead virtual teams. On your resume, be sure to include keywords like performance management, virtual training, and task delegation, either under a particular role or a separate “skills” section at the bottom of your résumé to demonstrate your ability to collaborate and lead. 

Self-oriented skills tell your potential employer that you can work diligently, learn quickly, and apply new solutions to existing problems, like the ones caused by the shift to remote work (decreasing productivity, burnout, etc.). You might think of these as “soft” skills, but they are in demand and will help you stand out as companies continue to decentralize their workforces. Words like “autonomy,” “time management,” and “self-starter” show employers you can stay on task, remotely or otherwise. 

If you have been using a chronological résumé but are struggling to get responses from employers, or if you are trying to enter an industry you have no previous experience in, try mixing things up by showcasing your transferable skills first — even before your job titles. Use them as headers under the experience section on your resume. For instance, sticking with the content creator example, you might put: 

Business Writing 

Content Creator at [Company] 

• Bullet point about your specific responsibilities. 

• Bullet point about your successes, including metrics. 

According to our data, listing transferable skills before your experiences can lead to better callback outcomes. When candidates failed to get a response with a chronological resume, we found that this more functional format was effective 21% of the time. Meanwhile, combination resume  formats (combining a functional skills list with chronological work experience) and sidebar resume formats (focusing on scannability) were only effective 3% and 2% of the time, respectively. 

Many employers will read only the bolded portions of your work experience section before contacting you, so highlight your transferable skills accordingly. 

Week 2: Improve your personal brand on LinkedIn and make your profile visible. 

An informational interview is a conversation you can have with another professional to learn more about their career, company, or industry. Unlike a job interview, the goal isn’t to get hired; you’re trying to educate yourself. In your job search, this type of interview serves two purposes: 

1. It allows you to gather intel on companies that are hiring. 

2. It helps you form connections with employees at those companies. 

Through those connections, you can learn about open positions before they’re advertised. You might even gain referrals to roles you’re interested in pursuing. 

A great way to start is by reaching out to your existing network. Talk to school alumni, LinkedIn contacts, family members, and friends who might work at or know someone employed by an organization you’re interested in. These conversations might land you an informational interview, or they might guide you toward other potential opportunities (like a company or position you hadn’t considered before). 

If you have your heart set on a certain organization, another option is to use LinkedIn to connect with someone who works there. It’s best to choose someone who holds a position similar to or cross-functional to the one you’re seeking. The goal is to find someone who can credibly answer the questions you have. 

When you reach out, show them that you are a valuable contact by first offering to connect them with someone who could benefit them, professionally or personally (if you can). Keep your request concise and be specific about the topic you would like to discuss and the time commitment you’re seeking:

 Week 4: Ask for job search referrals from your connections. 

If you made any good connections during your informational interviews in week three, ask your contact for a referral before you apply to the role at their organization. This is important because getting a job search referral shows potential employers that another person is confident in your skills, and it’s usually a guarantee that your application will be seriously considered — which increases your odds of getting called in for an interview. It’s best to follow up with your contact no sooner than one week after your informational interview to avoid bombarding them. 

Glassdoor recommends being honest from the start about your goals while providing your contact with ideas for how they can assist you in your professional job search: 

“Thank you again for talking with me about [company]. Learning about [topic] during our conversation made me realize how much I’d like to work for your company. I’m interested in applying for the position of [title and link to job description], and I wanted to ask whether you could refer me or if you’d be willing to pass my résumé on to the hiring manager.”  

As The New York Times notes, the pandemic has become the great equalizer in today’s economy. Job candidates are no longer selected based on location or attendance at live networking events. If you have references who can speak to your experience and abilities, you’ll go further than candidates who don’t. 

Week 5: Prepare for your virtual job interview.