Finding a job that you love can take a long time, but it doesn’t have to! Here are six tips to help you find and land your next job fast!
1) Be Selective
Applying for more jobs doesn’t necessarily increase your chance of getting a job. Each application takes time and energy to get just right. Rather than rushing through 50 online job applications, take your time applying for the 5 or 10 jobs that you are most interested in and that you are most likely to get. Your odds of finding employment fast are better if you submit 5 stellar applications than they are if you submit 50 mediocre or rushed applications.
2) Keep applying and interviewing until you have a firm start date
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when trying to find a job is falling in love with a job posting that they see and then waiting to apply for other jobs until they hear back about that specific job. Even if you have heard back and are scheduled for an interview, don’t stop applying for other jobs until you actually accept a job offer.
The reality is that things can change quickly – positions fall through, companies go on hiring freezes, other candidates outshine you – nothing is guaranteed. Why put all your eggs in one basket? When you are looking for a job fast, your full-time job needs to be looking for a job! That means either applying, networking, or polishing your resume for 40 hours a week, every week.
3) Work a temporary job while searching
Need to get to work fast? Why not work a temporary job via a staffing agency while you continue the job search? SITE Staffing, for example, can put you to work fast (sometimes even the same day)! While you are working a temporary job, we will continue to look for a permanent position for you. That way you have income almost immediately (our staffing agency actually pays weekly) and you have someone helping in your job search.
Just remember how important it is to be straightforward with us about your immediate and long-term goals. Never accept a permanent position that you would only be happy with short-term. Instead, be clear about what your requirements are for long-term work and what your requirements are for temporary work since they are usually very different. If you haven’t worked with a staffing agency before, check out this post.
4) Apply with companies that have a lot of openings
This is a surefire way to increase your chances of finding a job fast: the more openings that a company has, the better your chances are of getting the job. This is another reason to work with a staffing agency. At any given time, SITE Staffing has between 200 and 400 jobs open! And one of the biggest benefits is that by interviewing for one position, you’ll likely be considered for at least five other positions right off the bat. This will cut down on your application and interview time drastically, and increase your ability to find a great job fast!
5) Let everyone know you are looking
Telling friends, family, and professional contacts that you are searching for a job means that even more people have you in mind when they hear about job openings. Add to that the fact that most companies love to hire referrals for their existing employees, and your chances of not only getting an interview but also getting the position go way up. You also have the benefit of being able to ask someone you know what the position and company are really like. That is what I call a win-win-win!
6) Walk fast (Seriously)
This one may sound strange, but after years of recruiting and interviewing, I can tell you that it is true. Whether you are walking from the lobby to the room where you will interview, or taking a tour around a production floor or office building – never walk slower than the person showing you where to go.
Why? Whether consciously or subconsciously, walking fast is associated with working fast, and therefore working hard. While it isn’t the only thing that matters, a fast walk and a firm handshake make a great first impression!
7) Work with a Staffing Agency
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that many people don’t know how working with a staffing agency actually works. Well, good news — it’s really easy!
When you partner with SITE Staffing, for example, you will meet with one of our talented recruiters. In that meeting, you’ll be asked a series of questions that will help our team get to know you, both as a candidate and more importantly, as a person. Then, the recruiter will review open positions and compare them to your skillset and ‘wish list,’ making sure that you would be the right fit for a given opportunity.
From there, our team will set up interviews and help you throughout the job hunting process, coaching you on that big upcoming interview or just helping you with some resume formatting. And the best part? This is all free for the candidate!
To get started with SITE Staffing, you can tell us about yourself here. Or, if you’d like to view open positions on our Milwaukee job board, check those out here.
Happy job hunting!