How to Find a Job Fast

It’s no secret, if you want to find a job quickly, you need to make finding a job your full time job. But if you sit at home and submit your résumé to everyone you can find, you are just spinning your wheels. Forbes calls submitting your résumé to the online HR submission form of a company a waste of time. The bigger the company, the bigger the waste of time it is submitting your résumé online.

In the Forbes article, The 6 Reasons You Didn't Get The Job, Molly Cain lists all the reasons your job search isn't working out. So, how do you get a job then?

This article outlines the actual steps you need to take to find a job. Point by point. Print it out and keep it by your computer for a reference.

1. Make a list of the skills, experience, education, achievements, and certifications you have

This is an informal list for your own use. Listing out all of your skills will help you see clearly what are your strengths, weaknesses, and which roles you qualify for. It’s the most important thing to keep in mind during steps 2 and 3.

2. Figure out what you want to do

You have to make a conscious decision and base it on the skills and experiences you you listed in step 1. You

also want to base the decision on what you want to do for a living, but remember that your skills and experiences are what are going to snag you that job. You are not going to become an airline pilot when your education and experience is in accounting.

Once you know for certain what you want to do, turn it into an elevator pitch. Make sure your elevator pitch is no longer than a minute.

3. Write your baseline résumé ​​

You have lots of skills, we get it. You went to college, and you worked your way through. It was hard and you want to show it all on your résumé. That’s ok. But when it’s time to send your résumé you’re going to want to tailor it to the job you’re applying for (that will happen in step 8.)

Start with a baseline résumé. It is the same list of skills and experiences you made in step one but you’re going to choose a format, rewrite everything carefully, use some buzz words and be professional. Writing résumés is hard, and we will discuss them more in a later article. Until then, see this article about how to write the perfect résumé.

4. Post the baseline résumé on LinkedIn

Tons of recruiters get their candidates from LinkedIn. Update your profile, polish it up, and make it as professional looking as your résumé. Get a shortened URL and and you can include it on your final résumé and your business card.

When you’re done setting up your LinkedIn profile, set up profiles on monster, careerbuilder, ladders, and any other job site your industry uses. Next, go on Facebook and scrub those incriminating photos off your profile.

5. Get a business card

Get a business card that stands out. You’re going to need it when you’re out networking. You don’t need a huge order of business cards to start. Unless you’re looking for a high-level corporate job, stick with 250 or so. Everyone has a different style of meeting people. Make sure all of your contact information pops so anyone can easily find their preferred way to get a hold of you.

6. Research

Google everything. Know the industry you want to work at inside and out. Know the companies that work in your industry. Go to the about pages on their website and find their contact information so you can use it in step 7.

Look for recruiting firms in your industry. Recruiters are eager for new talent because finding you a job is their job.

Find out what jobs companies have available and make a list of all of the jobs that fit your list of skills and experiences you made in step 1.

7. Network

We’ll discuss exactly how to network in another article too. For now, this article from The Wall Street Journal will help you navigate the world of networking. LinkedIn is a good place to start, but you’ll need a bigger presence if you want to find work.

There are networking events that can help you get in touch with people in your area, but going to random networking events can be frustrating. Try joining a trade group and attending their networking events. Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to your college’s Alumni Association. Most have vocational programs that can help you get in touch with the right people.

Cold calls are fine too. You searched the company’s contact information in step 6. Make an effort to get in touch with the hiring manager for the job postings you found in step 6 or at least find out their name because it will come into play in step 9.

Keep your business card handy and offer your support at least as often as you reach out for support.

8. Tailor your résumé and cover letter to the job

Networking and applying for jobs should be happening simultaneously. Apply to all the jobs you found in step 6 but make sure that before you do you tailor your résumé for the job you want.

When tailoring your résumé, don’t just remove irrelevant skills. You may want to keep the skills you think are irrelevant because the recruiter might have another position available for which your irrelevant skills make you perfect. You should however highlight your relevant skills and match the wording in the job description to the wording in your résumé.

Make sure that each time you change your résumé, you read the whole thing through to make sure it flows properly, and has no grammatical or spelling errors. Getting someone to take a second look at your résumé is very beneficial as well. They can see errors that you might have overlooked and flow issues.

When writing your cover letter, I recommend starting from scratch each time. There are many articles on how to write a cover letter. Make sure you highlight your relevant skills, demonstrate knowledge of the company, be professional, make sure you proofread, have friends and family proofread, then proofread again.

9. Follow up

After you submit your résumé and cover letter to the HR database on the company’s website, show up and drop one off in person. Dress like you’re there for an interview and ask to speak with the hiring manager directly (you got their name in step 6). Talk to the receptionist while you wait, they have a lot of influence in the hiring process because managers like to find out what people do when they think they’re not being watched.

Bring a copy of your tailored résumé and cover letter on nice paper, nothing ostentatious. Tell them that you submitted your résumé and application online but wanted to follow up with them and make sure they got the official copy. Shake their hand and look them in the eye. Drop that elevator pitch you created in step 2. Then, unless they invite you to come in and sit down, thank them for their time and excuse yourself.

10. Interview

Monster.com has a great article about how to interview. Be prepared to answer tough questions about why you’re a good fit for the position. Also, be prepared to ask good questions.

11. Follow Up Again

Don’t forget to send a quick note thanking them for taking the time to meet with you. Mention something specific you spoke about during the interview and something you’re looking forward to if you get the job. This can be done via email but a thank you card stands out more.