Save Time on your Job Search
Finding a new job can be a time-intensive endeavor. The more time that goes on, the more frustrated you may become, especially if you’re out of work or struggling in your current role.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can shave time off your job search activities. It all comes down to being prepared and staying focused on your goals.
Read on for five ways to save time on your job search.
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!
If a recruiter reaches out today, do you have your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile where they need to be? Are they updated and relevant for the positions for which you’re applying?
Look them over and ask yourself these questions:
• Do my personal marketing materials tell the story I want them to?
• Do they feature enough measurable achievements to convey what I’ve accomplished?
• Are they updated with the most recent projects I have led?
• Is the format of my resume fresh and modern?
• Do my goals come across loud and clear?
• Is my LinkedIn conversational or simply a copy and paste of my resume?
How you answer these questions will let you know if your materials are ready for the job market.
Put in the time now to update and refine your materials so you can be ready to cut down valuable time when recruiters and hiring managers are waiting on them.
Find Some Professional Help
Did you know there are professional resume-writing companies out there? These businesses are run by job-search and recruitment experts with experience positioning many people for faster, more effective job searches.
You can also find free or inexpensive services that provide career counseling and job search assistance. Check with your local college career offices, state Department of Labor offices or your local public library.
Utilizing professional help can help you eliminate the time required to build effective materials that will ensure job-search success.
Use Job Search Tools
The recruitment industry has been largely digitized for a few years now, making it easier for job-seekers to find new employment opportunities. This also makes for a more time-friendly exercise when you’re looking for something new.
With this convenience comes more competition in the job market, so you have to use your time wisely. Depend on your local newspaper’s jobsearch tools. They are likely ultra-localized, giving you the upper hand as a local candidate.
They are also the most likely to be up to date, as local companies run highly targeted searches for their potential employees.
Make sure your updated resume and cover letter is on file with these local job search engines to be as prepared as possible.
Have Your References Ready
Do you have some colleagues or past employers ready to sing your praises? It would be best to have your list ready and let them know as soon as possible that they may be expected to share their experiences with a hiring manager or recruiter.
Have a list of three references including name, job title, company, phone number and email address ready to give to interviewers. Print a copy of your reference list and bring it with you to interviews, and keep a digital copy handy to be able to email it at a moment’s notice.