Guide to Mastering the Job Search: What is New, Outdated and Evergreen in 2024

A career success professional weighs job search advice to point MBA students in the right direction. 

Every job seeker approaches their search with a set of strategies—some shaped by past work experience and others by career coaches, professors and peers. 

We asked Laura Pahmiyer, senior career success professional at Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, to sort through a list of common strategies and determine which are new, which are outdated and which are evergreen in today’s business landscape.

New Strategies

Virtual job fairs—Virtual job fairs are becoming increasingly popular with employers and job seekers. While there is no replacement for an in-person conversation, virtual fairs provide greater opportunity for a match by eliminating physical barriers to connection. 

“The key to making the most of a virtual job fair is to do research ahead of time to know which companies are participating,” Pahmiyer said. “We tell students to prioritize quality conversations with companies that interest them rather than talking to as many people as possible.” 

Using AI to craft professional documents—MBA students can leverage tools like ChatGPT to craft succinct, punchy resumes and cover letters. But students should proceed with caution: AI should only be used as a tool, not as primary author. When they over-rely on AI tools, students run the risk of sounding stilted or long-winded. Using AI may also result in resume formats that are incompatible with Applicant Tracking Systems.

“Candidates should always apply a human filter to their resumes and cover letters and be as hands-on as possible to make it their own,” Pahmiyer said. 

Matching resume to recruiting software—By aligning the content of their resume to the job description, students can improve their chances of passing through an initial screen. Through the Baylor University Career Center, students can access JobScan, a tool that mimics the technology that lives within recruiting software to ensure that a resume aligns closely with a job description. 

Mastering virtual interviews—Larger companies are increasingly using AI-based tools such as HireVue, which analyze an applicant’s recorded answers and decide whether to send them on to the next round. At the Career Center, students can use a job training platform called Big Interview to practice recording answers virtually and receive ratings on eye contact, vocal intonation and gestures that shape their communication.

Outdated Strategies

Applying in person—Gone are the days when it made sense to drive to an office and hand over a resume in person. Often recommended by people who navigated a job search in pre-Internet days, this strategy is ineffective in an environment in which everything takes place digitally and online. 

Physical job boards—Physical job postings might be useful for hyper-local positions, like lawn care or tutoring in a specific neighborhood, but the positions that fit MBA graduates are all online. There is little value in using job boards for a post-MBA job search. 

Quick apply links—Introduced over a decade ago, LinkedIn’s “Easy Apply” link pulls basic information from a LinkedIn profile and sends it to a potential employer. 

“We have not seen much traction from students using these quick apply functions,” Pahmiyer said. “They rarely lead to interviews.”

Paid resume distribution services—For a fee, online services promise to send out a resume to thousands of recruiters who match a candidate’s job preferences. While the concept is attractive in theory, it has not proven effective in securing interviews for Baylor students.

Evergreen Strategies

Relationship building—MBA graduates obtain 80 percent of positions through building relationships. Whether it is striking up a conversation with someone at an alumni event or reaching out to a mutual connection on LinkedIn, human interaction trumps online applications every time. It is still beneficial to apply online, but much of a job seeker’s time should be spent networking. 

Effective personal brand—A personal brand is a bucketful of intangibles.

“A job seeker should spend considerable amounts of time making sure their personal brand is accurately conveyed,” Pahmiyer said. “Through in-person communication, professional communication and social media, a student can present themself in a way that conveys they are a qualified candidate.”

If a student is interviewing for a position that requires a confident and assertive decision maker, for example, their language, gestures and demeanor should project those qualities. 

Qualified enough—Most employers do not expect applicants to meet 100 percent of the qualifications stated in a job description. If a student finds themself at 40 or 50 percent, they still might have a good shot. Employers expect to train employees in their deficiencies, within reason. For example, an applicant with a marketing background would not even meet half of the requirements for an accounting position, so there is little point in applying. On the other hand, someone applying for a programming position might not know a programming language specified in a job description, but knowing other languages demonstrates their ability to learn.

Diverse search—It is a mistake for applicants to get too attached to a particular job title. By keeping a search broad, they may stumble across opportunities they never expected.

Consistent practice—When it comes to building practical skills for a job search, there is no such thing as too much practice. A student should participate in as many networking conversations and mock interviews as they can prior to and during their job search. 

“It is especially important for students to practice articulating their three ‘whys’ in a clear and compelling way—why the industry, why the company and why the position,” Pahmiyer said.

Finding small ways to stand out—The goal of any job seeker is to be remembered. Whether it is making a point to acknowledge the reception staff on the way into an interview or sending the interviewer a handwritten thank you note, small gestures go a long way toward making a lasting impression. 

What’s Next

Are you ready to launch the next phase of your career? Learn more about Baylor’s MBA program by clicking here or fill out the form below to speak directly with an Enrollment Advisor.