Finding a new job can take time. It isn’t uncommon for company hiring processes to take a few weeks under the best of circumstances. But not everyone can afford to wait that long to secure a new position.
Luckily, there are things you can do to speed things along. By taking the right steps, you can expedite the process in areas where you are directly involved, ensuring the company has everything it needs to keep moving forward. If you need a job before the new year, here are some tips that can help.
Be Reachable
Phone tag and emailed back-and-forths can suck up a surprising amount of time. If you want your job search to move forward as quickly as possible, you want to make sure that you are reachable.
Make sure that your email account is connected to your phone and that you are receiving notifications. Put your cell phone number on your resume so that the hiring manager can contact you on a device that is always with you. If you have a direct line at work that doesn’t route to anyone else, you could consider listing it as well, suggesting that it isn’t against policy.
Create a Master Resume and Cover Letter
While you always want to target your resume and cover letter to the job, you can speed up that process by creating a master version of each document. For your resume, list every achievement and detail that could be relevant to an employer. Then, when you find an opportunity, simply cut anything that doesn’t apply to that role and reorder your points to reflect that company’s priorities.
You can use a similar approach with a cover letter. If you are focusing on a particular kind of job, create a cover letter that generally speaks to what most of those positions entail. When you get ready to apply to a vacancy, you can simply adjust and refine that cover letter instead of starting completely from scratch.
Sign Up for Job Alerts
If you are searching for a job online, sign up for job alerts at several sites. Use search criteria to define what you are looking for and have the site automatically email you (or send you a push notification) when a new posting matches what you want to find. This will save you a ton of time in comparison to searching the same websites repeatedly.
Have Your Reference List Ready
Once you get deep into the hiring process, the hiring manager is almost guaranteed to ask you for a list of references. By contacting potential references and confirming they are willing to speak about you in advance, you can have these at the ready. You’ll be able to hand over the contact information the moment it is needed, ensuring the process can move forward quickly.
Work with a Recruiter
Sometimes, the easiest way to speed up a job search is to work with a staffing firm. When you do, you gain an ally who can help match you to available positions and make sure that your application materials are on point. Plus, they can offer you guidance about interview techniques to increase your odds of success, all while connecting you with employers who may not publicly advertise all of their positions.
If you want to work with a recruitment agency to accelerate your job search, the team at TempStaff wants to hear from you. Contact us to learn more about our services today and see how our career management expertise can benefit you.
