How To Find A Job Fast! Tips To Speed Up The Process

If you’re looking for a job, the process can be long, laborious and stressful. But there are ways to speed up the process and get a terrific new role—without losing yourself or your sanity.

How long does it typically take to find a job? That depends on many variables—from the salary you’re seeking to the kind of role you want and the strength of your skills. But you can take pragmatic action to accelerate the process.

A New Landscape of Work

It’s especially important to understand the landscape for finding a job—because it can be confusing. First, know that trends in hiring are positive, with fully 70% of those who had been laid off saying they found a new job within three months, based on data from Revelio Labs. In addition, 81% of recruitment professionals say it’s challenging to fill roles, according to a poll from Employ Inc. The take-away message: The market is good and this is positive news if you’re on the hunt for your next role.

But at the same time, 71% of job seekers say the process is complex and 66% of people wished they had started the job search process earlier, according to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll conducted for Bloomberg. And 90% of people said they had been ghosted by a potential employer, based on data from Monster. The take-away message: It can be tough to find a job so you’ll want to invest time and effort while you’re exercising your patience and resilience.

Amidst the challenges however, there are absolutely ways to make things move faster. Chief among the approaches is investing your energy. Finding a job can be a full-time job—and when you put in the work, it will pay off in terms of your results.

Use Your Resources

People frequently ask how to find a job quickly through their network job boards and social media. And these are indeed touchpoints to move the process forward.

In fact, one of the first things you can do to make the process go faster is to use your network. The old adage is true that a large proportion of people find jobs based on who they know and thanks to the network of people who link them with contacts, opportunities and organizations.

Reach out to your network. Let them know you’re looking. Ask them for suggestions about jobs and those who could be helpful to you. Make it easy for your people by asking them to introduce you to certain contacts based on your review of their network. Also provide them with verbiage they can share with others—including a brief summary of who you are and the experience you bring.

If you have a job in mind, look for people who have contacts at the company, and who can connect you with someone inside who can in turn help you reach a human—beyond the automated system.

Also leverage social media and hiring platforms. Ensure your profile is up to date on LinkedIn, leverage the “open to work” icon and set job alerts, for example. And tap into job boards or websites like Indeed or Monster to find jobs which are a good fit. Also follow hashtags on Instagram which are aligned with the kinds of role you’re seeking.

Tap Into the Right Opportunities

To make the process hum, you’re also wise to tap into opportunities which are a match to your current skills. If you want to spread your wings and do something which is different from your present repertoire, great, but that may take a little longer. If you’re truly looking for a fast track, find the jobs that seem like a good fit right now—and then you can build from there.

Be sure to make it crystal clear that you’re qualified by aligning your cover letter and resume with the job description. Use similar terms and verbiage in the places your capabilities are a match—so it’s easy for systems and people to clearly see your potential fit.

Also be sure to cast a broad net. Consider non-traditional options. Perhaps you can find an all-remote job even though you’d been thinking of something in the office. Or perhaps you can look outside your region based on the remote jobs available.

You can also consider sectors which are fast-growing—and which have the most jobs open. For example, resumegenius found the sectors with the fastest job growth were technology, healthcare, management, marketing and law.

In addition, jobs, companies, cultures and hiring leaders all have their own nuances and priorities in the candidates they’re seeking—so when you apply for lots of options, you increase the chances you’ll find the “just right” fit between you and the opportunity. In fact, according to the Harris Poll/Bloomberg poll, 48% of job seekers reported they had applied for more than 50 jobs—evidence it can take a lot of searching to find the best option.

Be Easy to Hire

You can also speed up the process by being easy to hire. Always be responsive. When you receive communication from an organization, follow up, follow through and get back to them in a timely way.

Also be sure to connect dots for recruiters. In addition to aligning your cover letter and resume, also clearly explain the way your skills meet the requirements of the job and the needs of the company. And set yourself apart by being ready for the questions they’ll ask and demonstrating in-demand capabilities like passion, learning, commitment and results-focus—through your interview.

And invest time in internships or volunteer work. These activities have tons of advantages from building your skills and demonstrating your commitment to the field to helping you to make professional contacts who can in turn link you with opportunities—all of which can accelerate the process for you.

Take a Job

Also consider taking a job which may not be your ideal. It’s unusual to find the perfect job, so reflect on what’s most important to you and where you can compromise. Clarify your purpose and your values so you don’t give up on what’s critical—but also know which priorities might be lower on the list in your job search.

If you’re idealistic and unwilling to accept a job that doesn’t meet every one of your requirements perfectly, you may look for a longer period of time. But if you’re realistic and do your best to find a job which offers more of what you like and less of what you don’t, you’ll be more likely to shorten the process.

Make a commitment to a job that’s a close match to what you want—and know you will always continue to grow and develop in your career.

Worth It

Few really meaningful things in life are easy. Relationships can be hard. Accomplishing a goal can be tough. Achieving a new level of mastery requires a ton of effort. Likewise, finding a great job also takes work.

Remind yourself that you’re capable and that you have unique value to offer. The right job is out there for you, and you can find it (quickly!) when you roll up your sleeves and dedicate yourself to finding your next great adventure.