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If you want to know how to get a job fast, it’s probably because you’ve applied to hundreds of jobs online and haven’t heard a single response. I know because I’ve been there before too! It can be very frustrating and demoralizing.
Landing an interview is not easy. Especially when you’re competing with hundreds, if not thousands, of other applicants. You’re wondering how do you get a job fast when you can’t even get an interview?!
I’ve learned that blindly applying to job postings online is NOT the way to go.
Do you like being jobless? If so, you can continue throwing your resume into the black hole of online job postings. If you want to change the status quo, you have to change your job search strategy.
You HAVE to put in the hard work to EVEN GET a job interview.
I know it sucks, but just think to yourself – would you rather put in the work now and successfully get job interviews? Or would you rather continue putting in the bare minimum effort and be in the exact same position 3 months from now and STILL wondering how to get a job fast?
So here are 3 steps to follow for how to get a job fast, with THE MOST important step being…….NETWORKING! Don’t panic or cringe! We’ll discuss the exact steps you can follow for how to network successfully.
How to get a job fast with 3 steps
Have a solid resume
Every job posting online has hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants applying. To sift through all this nonsense, companies use something called an automatic tracking software (or ATS). This ATS sifts through all the resumes and automatically filters out the ones that do not meet the minimum requirements or keywords.
This means that when you’re blindly applying to an online job posting, there’s a good chance your resume isn’t even making it to human eyes. This is why blindly applying to an online job posting is equivalent to throwing your resume in a black hole and hoping for the best.
In the off chance that your resume doesn’t get thrown into a black hole, it’ll reach the hiring manager or HR. Hiring managers and HR have to sift through dozens of resumes for every position to find a handful of people to interview. They will probably spent a couple minutes AT MOST looking at your resume.
Make sure your resume can catch their attention and impress them in 60 seconds!
Related: 6 Tips to write a resume
How to get a job fast with networking!
This may be THE MOST important step in how to get a job fast – Networking! Especially if you have NO EXPERIENCE. When I was job hunting and trying to get a specific position with no experience, I made it a point to network with 5 people a week!
THIS IS HOW TO GET A JOB FAST!
Networking resulted in 50% of the interviews I landed! Half of the interviews I’ve had were because of networking!
Network HARD!
I know this sucks to hear because networking requires a lot of work and a lot of uncomfortable situations, especially if you’re an introvert. Nobody WANTS to network. But just with anything else, the more you do it, the more practice you’ll get and the better you become at it.
Networking won’t feel like such a big deal anymore. It might not even make you cringe anymore!
You may be thinking “Why do I have to network? I’ve already worked so hard for my degree/at my previous job. Can’t they just SEE that I’m qualified with that?”
It looks like you need to go back and read step 1 again…
As I’ve stated before, there are hundreds of applicants for a single online job posting. Remember the black hole? Also, you and every other person applying for the position would have an education or experience.
So what makes you different?
You need to get the attention of the hiring manager! ESPECIALLY if you are just entering the work force and have no previous experience. This doesn’t mean you have to network with the hiring manager every time, but perhaps the person you network with will know the hiring manager for a role.
Trust me, if you network consistently, networking with someone who knows a manager currently hiring is bound to happen.
Networking in a small city
When I was job hunting for a role I wanted with no experience, I made it a point to speak to a minimum of 5 people every week who were in the field of the job I was trying to land. Because I lived in a smaller sized city, I used LinkedIn as my main source for networking. If you don’t have an account, make one here.
Through Linkedin, you can network virtually from the comfort of your own home!
Related: How to network on linkedin and WHO to network with
Networking in a big city
If you live in a big city, you can find networking events for your particular field of interest that you can attend. Attend every single networking event you can.
Networking in person is even better because you could show off your charismatic personality! If you don’t have a charismatic personality, you can turn it up a notch and fake it for a couple hours.
I know this can be a very intimidating thing to do, especially if you’re an introvert. But developing these networking social skills are very important for your career progression. What better time to start developing them now!
I struggled with networking in person at first too. Things can get awkward! Here’s a tip: Think of it like a “date”.
You are there to make “friends”. You are NOT there to ask for a job.
You are there to make connections and expand your professional network. Take an interest in people and ask questions to find out more about them and their story. If the conversation goes well, ask if you can connect with them on linkedin or get a business card.
You are building a relationship.
If they have agreed to connect with you, great! You now have a connection you can potentially reach out to in the future for an informational interview if relevant.
Related: How to get the most out of an informational interview
DON’T stop applying until you signed an offer letter
If you have several interviews lined up or you had an interview that you feel went amazingly well and you have a good feeling about it, it can be extremely tempting to stop applying for jobs.
DO NOT STOP APPLYING.
Don’t stop your application momentum. Even if you have a verbal offer from someone, keep applying. Verbal offers or promises fall through all the time – something comes up and there is a delay, the hiring manager changed their mind, they’re hiring someone internal, the company decided to remove the position, etc.
It doesn’t matter what comes up. You do not have a job until you have a signed written offer.
Be resilient and persistent
Finding a job is hard and stressful. Job searching is in the top 3 most stressful events in a person’s life, along with buying a house and getting a divorce.
So be easy on yourself and give yourself time. Do not take the rejection personally if you have not found a job yet. You are going to be rejected a lot.
You can have a perfect resume and interview and still be rejected because you were not a good fit with the hiring manager or team. It is in no way an indication or reflection of your competency or capability.
YOU ARE QUALIFIED FOR THAT JOB.
Do not get emotionally invested until you have a written job offer. Do yourself a favor and protect your mental resilience – it is a finite resource.
Finding a job can be a numbers game, even if you do everything right. Be resilient and persistent and keep going!
So there you have it – 3 steps for how to get a job fast. If you have a top notch resume AND you are consistently networking effectively, and you still haven’t landed ANY interviews in about 6 months, you may want to reflect on your resume and networking skills.