As you embark on your job search, your primary challenge is to develop messaging that highlights how your unique skills and experience benefit your prospective employer, and to create and execute a search strategy that effectively reaches employers who need you now more than ever.

Tuck offers programs and resources that can help you meet that challenge and be successful in your search. As you begin your search, keep these five keys to success in mind:

1. Be realistic, flexible, and open about what job opportunities you will consider. The more flexible you are, the better your chances for success.
2. Yet stay focused on the roles and organizations that fit best with your experience and skills. Look for opportunities that leverage your existing expertise. It can still be a challenging time to join a new industry.
3. Know why you're unique—and be able to say it in just a few words. Why should an employer hire you over anybody else? What makes you a valuable addition to a team? What is there about you that can’t be gleaned from your résumé? Be ready to summarize your unique talents, simply.
4. Focus on staying upbeat, engaged, energized, and active. If you are in between positions, consider taking on a pro bono project for a nonprofit that will utilize your existing skills or build new skills for a future position. Think about part-time work, even in a totally different field. You will keep your skills fresh, stay energized, and have a positive outlet for stress.
5. Put yourself in unexpected places. If you are wondering if you should go to that community event…go! If you’re going to find new opportunities, you need to get out of your normal routine, meet new people, and tell your story—because you just never know where that connection is going to come from.