The longer you’ve been on the job hunt, the easier it can be to feel less confident of your chances of landing your ideal job. It’s disheartening when you don’t receive interest or feedback from your applications.
If you’ve been on the job search a while and need to get it moving, there are certain things you can do to increase the speed of the process.
Get on Social Media
Social media has become a huge tool in the recruiter’s tool belt. Recruiters use social media platforms to find potential candidates, to evaluate the cultural fit of applicants, and to make network connections.
If your job search is in need of a boost, you should seriously consider making social media a bigger part of your job search. Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are especially great mediums for getting your name out there. However, being active on social media consists of more than merely having a profile. If you have questions, or if you’ve sent in an application, send along a note through social media to the recruiter—this initiative can help set you apart. Follow companies you’re interested in on their social media platforms. Engage with their content by liking, commenting, and sharing.
And don’t be afraid to produce some of your own content! Profiles with original content generate greater traffic and they also give you the opportunity to demonstrate some of your skills, such as your written communication skills.
Start Networking
The reality is that networking plays a huge part in the hiring process these days. Many people in the workforce scored their jobs through their connections and networks in the industry.
The motivation for this makes sense. Hiring is an expensive process; if a company is able to hire someone on a strong recommendation, there’s a certain level of security in hiring that person over someone they don’t know. While networking to find a job can be intimidating, it really doesn’t need to be! People are always eager to expand their network; networking is a mutually beneficial process.
As you conduct your job search, be conscious of the ways in which you can interact further with others in your profession. Meet and greets, business conferences, and social events can be great ways to meet the right people.
A lot of networking also happens online. Reach out to people you admire and ask them for advice; you might get a valuable connection out of it too. If there are people in your immediate network who work in the industry you’re conducting your job search in, don’t be afraid to get back in contact.
Work with a staffing Firm
One of the very best ways you can streamline your search for a job is by working with a staffing firm. Staffing firms can help you find work—it’s their mission, after all.
What’s more, they have at their disposal a wealth of experience and expertise. If you’re looking for a job in a specific industry, you might want to consider going with a niche staffing firm. These types of firms will have extensive knowledge of the industry you’re trying to break into, from the current employment trends to the credentials and skills you’ll need to succeed.
Another huge advantage of pairing with a staffing firm relates to networking. Networking is a big part of hiring and no one is better at networking than a staffing firm. Recruiters have hundreds of contacts in numerous industries that they can reach out to. It’s likely that they’re aware of opportunities that you very well might not have had access to if it weren’t for their industry connections. When you pair with a staffing firm, your job search becomes bigger (and quicker) than you could do on your own. You’ll be able to get your foot in the door and start your path to your new career.
