Sunday, January 1, 2012

7 Ways To Speed Up Your Job Searching

By Gnifrus Urquart


Recently I wrote a series of articles, breaking down the job hunting process and looking in detail, at the specific elements of it. Here I build on those articles and offer 7 quick fire tips which should dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes you to land your next job.

1. Always Keep Your Eyes Open For Your Next Job

Don't wait till you need a job before your start looking for a job. You should always keep one eye open on your industry for potential opportunities which may come your way. You'll be amazed at the jobs which float past you every day, many of them could be the job you've always dreamed of. If you are not paying attention though they'll sail right by.

2. Keep your resume up to date

Sometimes you just need to be ready to pounce for that dream job. If your resume is always up to date and you are always familiar with its contents, you will be ready. Update it at least twice a year with new skills and experience. You'll then be ready for those unexpected offers which occasionally present themselves.

3. Network Network Network.

Basically everything you do while you are at work and when you spend time with work people outside work hours, should be seen as a networking exercise. Make an effort to remember everyone you meet in your professional circles. Grease the wheels here. Getting this right will really help you with point 1 above also.

4. No Matter What It Is For, Go To Every Interview Offered

The problem with interviews is that it requires a skill. You are selling yourself. Most interviews follow similar patterns, even though the questions are never the same. If you attend all interviews you are invited to, whether you want the job or not, you will be practising this very important skill. You need to have this skill practised and perfected for when the perfect job comes up. You do not want to miss that perfect job because of poor interviewing skills. Practise makes perfect so go to every interview you are invited to.

5. Note Down Your Experiences.

Job hunting is an evolutionary process. You need to modify your approach to every unique job and as your skills improve. A great tool to help you with this is to diarise your experiences, noting where you did well and where you think you could have done better. Really make an effort to learn from your experiences so each job you go for is a better effort than the last.

6. If You Are Out Of Work, You Still Have A Full Time Job

Your Job Hunt is your full time job now. Get out of bed at the same time you would if you were working in your given field. This will put your time clock in sync with your interviewers. Spend the same hours working on your job hunt as you would in the job. Be disciplined.

7. Maintain Clarity Of Focus

Keep at the front of your mind what your goals are, keep a focus on them and don't go running around after irrelevant opportunities. The worse thing you can do is accept the wrong job, it could put your career back years.

Job hunting can be really painful, so best to get a job fast. I hope these tips help you on your search. Good luck




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