8 Things to Know to Help You Get Hired Really Fast

It’s never easy to get a job and enter into employment these days. Most people end up discouraged and emaciated in the process and face anxious moments and the possibility of a bleak future. With a few changes here and there you could actually improve your chances of getting hired really fast. Whether little things or significant changes they can help you get that job you’ve been chasing for months really quickly. It doesn’t cost you anything to try any of these things.

1. Focus your job search

The worst thing you can do while seeking employment is applying for every open application and hope to land something. It’s like releasing a single arrow and expecting to hit lots of birds together. It’s usually unfocused and un-effective and costly. Rather, avoid submitting random cover letters and resumes by ensuring you know clearly the kind of job you want and qualified for. You can also come up with a list of job titles to chase or companies you have no problem working for and focus on them.

2. Advanced search preferences are there for a reason

Most people searching for job openings in job boards don’t even realize they’ve advanced options that can simplify their searches and refine them further. These advanced search preferences can be by job title, location, keyword, job type, date of posting, among others. Make the most of advanced options and see the difference it makes.

3. Don’t ignore networking

The worst way to live in the twenty-first century is to exist without connections and networks. It comes in handy during job hunting no matter where you live. Lots of hiring managers, human resource personnel and individuals who know of a job opening usually share with their personal or online networks first before sharing with anyone else. Also, with your connections all you need is to let them know you’re looking for a specific type of job and the doors could open really fast.

4. Badmouthing a previous boss is a no-no

No matter the bleakness of the circumstances that led you to leave your previous place of employment never say bad things about your previous boss. Badmouthing former coworkers or employer is a huge mistake, especially during interviews. In their mind prospective employers will start conjuring the bad things you’ll say about them when you leave and decide not to offer you a job.

5. Make the most of references

If you didn’t know, employers really check with your references. It’s highly important to make sure you’ve gotten the most eye-catching recommendations possible very few potential hiring managers will ignore. These include quality recommendations from your top clients, employers, suppliers, clients and even coworkers wherever possible. You can use LinkedIn and other sites to post these recommendations as much as you can. Research actually indicate most employers today will first check your LinkedIn profile before getting in touch with you to set up an interview.

6. Gratitude after a job interview

Very few people really remember to send thank you notes as a follow-up after the conclusion of an interview. It helps to show your gratitude to the potential employer and your appreciation for being given a chance. A follow-up thank you note allows you to restate and dexterously indicate that you’re still interested in the job. If you forgot to share something critical previously during the job interview you can use the thank you note to let the reader know about it.

7. Appearances do matter

During an interview the worst you can do is fail to create an effective impression. Apparently, appearances still do. You’ll be observed and appraised on so many levels during your first few minutes before an interview panel. Dress appropriately in the proper attire perfect for the work environment you’d like to join.

8. Don’t mess up the cover letter

Research indicates that hiring personnel only has a few seconds to get impressed by a cover letter. To be considered for a future interview, ensure your cover letter is specific and indicates what you intend to do for their organization if you get hired in the first few sentences. Most importantly, keep it short, interesting and to the point. Ensure that your qualifications match with the open job. In the same breathe ensure your resume also target the open job. Tweak, edit, delete and replace if you have to if only to make the resume match the open position as much as you can.