We’ve all been there, for one reason or another. Some of us are graduating from college and want to put our degrees to good use. Others are parents going back to work after the children start school. Still others are trying to find work because of lay-offs, for whatever reason. Applying for jobs can be a time-consuming process, and for those who have to spend the hours doing it, there are several ways that applying can be made more time-efficient.
A key piece of job searching advice is getting organized. Usually, the applicant is going to be applying to a lot of jobs. The site Startwire is a good place to start. The site is a unique website that allows applicants to build a database of what jobs they’ve applied for and, in most cases, check the status of their applications. Although sometimes the applicant gets bad news, it is generally better than being left in limbo.
Another part of strategic job application includes making sure to include the “real world” as well. The internet is great, and nowadays, the majority of job-finding will be done online. However, networking opportunities from personal and professional relationships don’t need to be underestimated. Stepping outside of the internet can open up a myriad of opportunities for those looking for a job. This type of networking can reveal the “hidden” job market.
Another useful tool in the arsenal is the job search engine. These websites are literally like Google, but just for jobs. There are many different job search engines; some of them are geared towards specifics types of jobs or markets, and some are broader. Doing some up front research to find the most appropriate job search engine can save a lot of time and prevent sifting through jobs that are not viable options for the applicants.
When on the job search, it’s also important to remember the world we live in. This is the time of Twitter, Craigslist, Youtube, and Facebook. Although some caution needs to be exercised when looking on those sites, they can be incredibly useful in the job search, and they are hardly even mentioned. Don’t discount these resources just because they are unconventional. Reaching out over this platform lets employers know who is able to keep up with what is trending in the world.
And of course, don’t forget to look on the company’s website. While a job is a financial necessity for most of us, it is important to make sure that a job fulfills other areas as well. It’s not just a paycheck – ideally, an applicant’s first choices should be companies and jobs they admire. A lot of the hours in the week are dedicated to a job, and that should be taken into consideration as well.
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