Job seekers have all the power right now. Here are our 5 best tips for finding a career you love.

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Job seekers have all the power right now. Here are our 5 best tips for finding a career you love.
It's shaping up to be a hot summer for job searching. Ditty_about_summer/Shutterstock
  • This year is a great time to be looking for a new job.
  • Employers are looking to woo workers with signing bonuses and other perks.
  • Insider's compiled a helpful guide for anyone searching for a new role.
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The job market is on fire right now.

After a steep decline at the beginning of the pandemic, employers are finally beginning to hire again. And they're hiring a lot. US job searches picked up in early June to July, according to Indeed. There were 10.1 million job openings in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Moving jobs is also a great way to make more money. A 2017 Nomura analysis found that people who had changed jobs earned roughly 1% more year over year than people who stayed with the same employer.

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It's a job seekers' market, and some employers are working to woo workers with incentives such as bonuses and new employee benefits.

There's never been a better time to look for a job, and Insider has compiled a helpful guide for anyone looking for a new opportunity.

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Table of Contents: Static

Quitting shouldn't be your first move if you're unhappy

Job seekers have all the power right now. Here are our 5 best tips for finding a career you love.
If you're feeling burned out, look for small ways to improve your satisfaction at work. Mapodile/Getty Images

Maybe you don't want to leave your job, but you're not exactly thrilled with how things are going. Don't fret, experts said there are simple tweaks you can make to your workday that may help you feel more fulfilled.

It's a common problem. Gallup found that 51% of workers in its global analysis of about 112,000 business units were not engaged at work. No wonder 3.6 million US employees left their jobs in May.

But, career experts told Insider, playing to your strengths can help you feel more satisfied at work.

And remember: Don't be afraid to share feedback with your boss. Chances are that if you're unhappy, other people are, too.

Read more:

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When it's time for a change

Job seekers have all the power right now. Here are our 5 best tips for finding a career you love.
There were 9.2 million open roles at the end of May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Maybe you've tried to make things better at your current role, but they aren't improving. Or maybe you've outgrown your role and want to move on.

Regardless, it's time to launch your job search.

A good first step is to send some networking messages. Blair Heitmann, a LinkedIn career expert, previously told Insider that your network "is your No. 1 asset as a professional over the course of your career."

You can also make key tweaks to your job-application materials that may draw the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

And when you're ready to give your notice, make sure you don't burn any bridges with your employer. You never know if you may want to return someday.

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Read more:

Quitting your job? Here's how to answer the 6 most common exit-interview questions.

A workplace expert shares the exact steps you should take to quit your job without burning bridges

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Finding the best opportunities

Job seekers have all the power right now. Here are our 5 best tips for finding a career you love.
A man handing his résumé to an employer at the 25th annual Central Florida Employment Council Job Fair at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

Jobs in human resources and diversity and inclusion are skyrocketing right now.

HR professionals, for example, are being recruited relentlessly for high-paying roles, experts previously told Insider. Jobs in diversity and inclusion grew 123% between May and September of last year, Indeed data showed.

But these aren't the only industries worth checking out. It's important to explore all of your options to find a role that is the best fit for you.

Read more:

10 US government jobs that pay $100,000 or more and are hiring right now

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Asking (and answering) the right questions

Job seekers have all the power right now. Here are our 5 best tips for finding a career you love.
Know the right questions to ask during your interview. Getty

You've done the work and sent out tons of applications. Now hiring managers are scheduling interviews with you.

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The most common interview question is "Tell me about yourself." Jacques Buffett, a career expert at the online résumé service Zety, said interviewees should use this question to briefly mention their career history and tell stories of past achievements.

But it's also important to know the right questions to ask hiring managers. This could help you get a clearer sense of the company culture.

Read more:

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What Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Jack Dorsey, and 52 other top executives ask job candidates during interviews

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Job seekers have all the power right now. Here are 7 questions you should definitely ask in your next job interview.

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Remote, in person, or somewhere in between

Job seekers have all the power right now. Here are our 5 best tips for finding a career you love.
Hybrid work gives you the option to work partially from the office and partially remote. Mixetto/Getty Images

Once you've accepted a job, you have an opportunity to craft your ideal work life.

Maybe you want to be completely remote or solely in the office. Or maybe you want something in between.

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Many employers are still sorting out their plans for returning to the office, but regardless, you're in a good position to negotiate as much flexibility as you want.

Read more:

How to craft your ideal work life and get your boss on board

Employees overwhelmingly prefer hybrid work. Here's how executives from top companies are making it happen.

Take this personality quiz to find out if you work best from home, in an office, or something in between

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Extrovert or introvert? Think again. The pandemic probably made you something in between.

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If you want to ask your boss to let you work from home forever, use this script

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