How To Find the Best Jobs for You

Identifying how your personal ambitions, goals and needs align with a particular job opportunity is no easy task. But outlining these factors is essential when searching for a job that’s a right fit for you. In this article, you’ll find the most up-to-date information on how to get the most from Indeed and narrow in on job postings that are a good match.

Related: A Comprehensive Guide on How to Decide between Two Jobs

How to find the best jobs for you in 5 steps

To help you in your job search, here's a step-by-step guide on how to find the best jobs for you:

1. Decide what you want in a job

At the start of your job search, spend some time reflecting on what has prompted you to look. Are you interested in doing the same job for a different employer? Do you want to change career paths? Are you entering the job market for the first time? Are you returning from an employment gap?

Each of these circumstances presents a different way of narrowing in on the jobs you want. There are several resources to help you explore your options:

To better understand what different jobs entail and what skills may be required, you can browse the comprehensive Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO), published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. You may also like to have a look at the MyFuture website, which shows a variety of information for each occupation type.

Salary trends is a tool that lets you search for and compare trends in compensation for specific jobs in different locations. Enter a job title and you’ll see the salary range in various cities and what salary is being offered by different employers.

Related: The Essential Job Search Guide

2. Identify your must-haves

The next step in finding the jobs that are right for you is to identify your non-negotiables and areas where you may be more flexible. Each person will have a distinct list. The following lists show some examples of what you may have in mind.

Examples of non-negotiables:

• The industry or discipline you want to work in

• A wage or salary you can’t go below

• Benefits such as health insurance or paid time off

• Location and commute time

Examples of where you may be more flexible:

• You aren’t attached to a particular job title (associate, specialist or another designation)

• Would like but don’t need added benefits such as the ability to work from home

• Working at a small business versus a large company

• The amount of travel your job entails

Deciding which factors are must-haves and which are negotiable will help you move forward with confidence.

Related: 20 Jobs for People Over 60 (With Salaries and Duties)

3. Experiment with different job searches

The best way to get a feel for the jobs that are available to you is to try out different search terms. As you search, you’ll get better at recognising the jobs that feel right and those that don’t.

If you’re not sure where to begin, it’s good practice to start with broad search terms and steadily narrow down your search. For example:

You begin a search with “Customer Support” in Melbourne.
The result: job posts appear in the thousands.

Next, search for “Customer Support Specialist” in Melbourne.
The result: total job posts are in the hundreds now.

In the search results, certain titles may jump out at you. You can now conduct new searches for each of these. If you really like the results you’re getting with a particular search, set up a job alert — you’ll receive new matching jobs in your email on a daily or weekly basis, depending on your preference. You can create multiple job alerts and pause or delete them at any time.

You can also save the job postings that you like and come back to review them in more detail. They’ll be saved to your Indeed account.

4. Use advanced search tools to get more focused results

The next step is filtering the job search posts by using advanced search tools. Some tools you can use on Indeed are:

Filters

Filters can be used to find the best jobs for you by narrowing down the number of job postings by salary, company, location, posting date and more. With this advanced job search option, you can potentially turn a results page with thousands of jobs into several dozens.

If you’re using Indeed on your phone, you’ll see the filter button on your search results page, just to the right of the search bar. On a desktop, these filters are on the left side of the page.

Easily apply with your Indeed Resume

Keep an eye out for jobs that have the “Apply with your Indeed Resume” option. These are job posts that enable you to upload your Indeed resume and submit your application in just a few clicks — giving you back valuable time in your job search.

Company research

Where you’ll work is just as important as the job you’ll do. Use Indeed Company Pages to see reviews from current and former employees, getting a real sense of what it’s like to work at different companies.

5. Determine if you meet the requirements

When you find a job posting that you think is a great fit for you, make sure to read the entire job description and follow the directions.

Always look over the requirements section of a job post. There will usually be a “required experience” section that outlines everything an employer is looking for in an ideal candidate. Use your best judgment to determine if you have the qualifications. Even if you don’t check every box, you should thoughtfully consider if your skill set and years of experience generally match up. This is how to search and find the best jobs for you by exploring your options thoroughly.