Have you ever gotten out of bed on an early Wednesday morning and immediately hated your job? Maybe you have a project you don't have enough resources to finish or maybe you just don't like some of your coworkers. We've all been there, but not everybody gets out.
You don't have to feel stuck at your job right now because the economy is down. The unemployment rate is down to 4.0% which means jobs are being created faster than they can be filled across all industries. That makes this the perfect time to at least look around a bit because skilled employees are in such high demand that companies have to bend over backwards for them.
If you're ready to make that change and leave the job that's been stressing you out for way too long and you don't have a lot of time to wait, here are a few things I've done to get jobs 30% faster than when I just applied for a lot of jobs. Just for a time reference, it took me 6 months to find a job when I didn't do the things I'm about to tell you compared to 2 months when I did do this stuff.
Some of it will probably seem obvious to you, but sometimes we overlook the most obvious steps.
Tell people you are looking for a job.
- I know that this can be hard for a number of reasons, like embarrassment or pride, because there's this weird stigma around job hunting. The thing is, people can't help you if they don't know you're looking. Tell your friends, family, and anyone else you think would help you out. LinkedIn (https://linkedin.com) is a great place where you should go talk to people because there are recruiters and hiring managers on there actively looking for people like you.
- Remember, a closed mouth doesn't get fed. If you don't talk about what you want or need, you won't get help with it. You'd be surprised how many people care enough to put in a good word for you or are willing to get you in touch with somebody they know.
Start going to industry specific events.
If you are looking for a job in a specific industry, find out where people in that industry meet up in your city (https://www.meetup.com). This is a great way to start making connections and learn more about what companies are looking for. It can be a little intimidating to talk to a hiring manager in the office so these events give you a more casual setting to get to know them.
All you have to do is start talking to different people. You don't have to have soul connecting conversations, but find out what you have in common with other people. That makes it easier for them to relate to what you're going through and they'll be more likely to put in a good word for you.
Shotgun applications and then reach out to the person that posted them if possible.
In order to get a new job as fast as possible, you have to be willing to put in a lot of applications. When I was going through my job hunt, I tried to apply for 3-5 jobs a day depending on how long the applications were. That's not what made the difference though. What made the difference was when I started reaching out to the people who posted.
When you put a face with an application it increases your chances of hearing back about the position because they feel a closer connection to you. You aren't just another faceless resume. There's a small caveat here. Make sure you read the job posting to make sure they haven't explicitly told you not to reach out to them. It will hurt your chances if you contact them after they asked you not to.
Grow and nurture your network.
The biggest part of your job search is putting yourself out there. You can do that by reaching out to different people on LinkedIn, going to events around your city, or volunteering in your community. Everyone in your network doesn't have to be around for your benefit because it goes both ways. Are you helping people when they need help?
It's one thing to know a lot of people and it's another thing for a lot of people to know you. You always want to be in the latter situation because that means you've helped enough people get to where they want to be. Remember, you can get anything you want if you help enough people get what they want.
Be open to different roles.
This is the one that people get stuck on. You know everything you want your new job to have: higher pay, more flexible hours, better benefits, and other perks. The problem is that many people aren't open to doing anything different from what they already do. 50% of employees are looking for another job and the majority of them aren't open to anything new.
I have to be really blunt here for a minute. The job you want might not be in the industry you are in. If the industry you're in is known for long hours, small raises, and employee turnover, then don't think a new job in your current field will change that. It might be time to start considering a completely new career, like web development. You're never too old to start something new if it's worth the effort to you.
Looking for a job is never fun, but you can try to speed it up. There are 2 key takeaways you should keep in mind:
- Be willing to talk to people about what you're looking for.
- Be open to doing a job you've never thought about doing.
Thanks for reading! :)
Hey! You should follow me on Twitter because reasons: https://twitter.com/FlippedCoding
Top comments (1)
Only do this if you actually have something substantial to offer for the interaction. No strong candidate should be hitting up a hiring manager just to chat. If you have questions about the job, read the description. If you have questions about the company, read their site. They may even have a site for the specific location you're applying to if it's a big company with lots of locations. If there's something industry related you want to talk about, cool, bring it up in the inverview rather than contact them yourself.
Cold contacting someone to ask something menial is obvious that you're trying to circumvent the process and put a voice to the application. You shouldn't need to be explicitly told not to bother the hiring manager. You applied, the ball is in their court now, move on to the next one.