For most of us, looking for a new job is hardly our favorite thing to do. It is usually time consuming and stressful. And the longer the search takes, the more anxious and less motivated people get. So it’s not surprising that everyone wants to find a suitable position as quickly as possible. While we may not be able to control how long an employer’s recruitment process takes, there are certain things we can do to speed up the job search.
Here are our five favorite tips on how to get the job you want fast.
Do the Research
First, take a little time to self-reflect and research job boards. Ask yourself: What are your career goals? Which industries would you like to work in? What roles interest you the most? Next, go through job ads and write down the most common requirements for positions you would like to apply for. This will give you a deeper understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, and you will know in which areas you need to improve.
You will also be able to refer to these notes when you start working on your resume. Keep in mind that many companies use applicant-tracking systems to automate their hiring process. That is why it is critical to use the language that matches keywords from job descriptions.
Manage Your Expectations
Prepare yourself that searching for a job is a job in itself. It requires time, consistency, and persistence. You will have to set aside a few hours each day to prepare your resume, look for job postings, send applications, and practice possible interview questions. It is better to shift your mindset from the very beginning. Instead of thinking about job searching as a complete time killer, consider it a necessary step to landing your dream job.
Prepare All Documents
The next tip is creating your resume, updating your LinkedIn profile, and preparing cover and follow-up letter templates beforehand. This way, instead of writing documents from scratch for each position you want to apply for, you will be able to customize them in a matter of minutes. Don’t forget to ask someone to proofread all your papers, and double-check your contact information. You would be surprised how many applicants never get the invitation to interview just because they made a typo in their email address or telephone number. By the way, make sure you have a professional-sounding email too. Recruiters are more likely to contact you at [email protected] than at [email protected].
Be Consistent
People rarely get hired after submitting a few applications and attending a couple of interviews. We know that it is easy to lose motivation when you aren’t getting the results you were hoping for. But it is important to stay consistent, check for new openings regularly, and apply for all relevant positions daily. So, set a goal to send a certain number of applications each day and stick to it.
Prepare for Interviews
Practice your answers to possible interview questions. In an interview setting, it’s not only what you say that matters, but how you say it. Your body language will also tell HR managers about you. Don’t underestimate the importance of preparation. Think through your answers, come up with specific examples of how you have demonstrated the skills listed on your resume, and make a list of questions you would like to ask the employer. Then ask a friend to play the role of the interviewer and rehearse. When you prepare ahead of time, you will feel much more confident and less anxious during the actual interview.
Get Professional Help
And here’s the last tip: you don’t have to do it alone. You can get a copywriter to write a persuasive resume or a career counselor to help rehearse possible interview scenarios. You can save even more time by using a comprehensive job-application service.
Job Application Services (JAS) at Careerist includes everything you need for an efficient job-search process:
- LinkedIn and resume optimization. Studies show that, on average, hiring managers spend just six-to-eight seconds reviewing a resume. Our experts will help you to ensure that yours is well organized and clearly demonstrates that you are qualified for the role you are applying for.
- Interview practice with a career coach. It is essential to prepare yourself for interviews. While practicing with a friend or in front of the mirror is undoubtedly helpful, you can get much better results with the help of an experienced professional. Our career coaches will evaluate your answers, help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, and make sure that you can pass interviews with ease and confidence.
- Automated job applications. Applying for open positions is time consuming. Our students noticed that even if they dedicated two-to-three hours per day to this task, they were rarely able to respond to more than fifteen job postings a week. On top of that, it is hard to stay consistent. Our software solves this problem. It will check the leading job boards, find suitable positions, and apply for up to forty openings per day. That reduces the time you need to spend on job searching from twenty to just one hour per week.
These tips are real time savers. Implementing them will help you find a job that matches your skills and interests in the shortest time possible.
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