Whether you’re just starting your career or you’re looking to switch jobs, the job search process can be grueling. Recent stats from Talent Works shows it takes 100 to 200+ applications to receive one job offer.
If you’ve ever job hunted before, you know from personal experience that this process is far from enjoyable. You send out multiple applications daily, with the hope of securing a few interviews. And may sooner rather than later, you land a job offer.
In your quest for landing that dream job, there are certain things you need to put in place to better manage the process. In this post, we explore some of them.
Apply for ONLY the right roles
No doubt, job hunting is a numbers game. The higher the number of applications you send out, the greater your chances of receiving an interview or offer. However, this only holds when you’re applying for positions you have an actual chance of getting.
Many applicants aimlessly apply for any open position they find. After sending out hundreds of applications, still no progress. Why is that?
You see, the average number of people who apply for any given job is 118, of which 20% get an interview. If you’re not among that top 20%, your chance of getting an interview is slim. That’s why it’s important to ensure you’re a good fit for any position you apply to.
Companies are very big on ‘job fit’ because the right hire brings immense value to their organizations. That’s why they use services from companies like Stafford Technology to find the perfect candidates to fulfill short or long-term project needs.
Now that we’ve got the preambles sorted out, let’s move on to the next point.
Sort out your application documents
When applying for positions, know this: No two roles are the same! Many applicants shoot themselves on the foot by sending generic resumes, CVs, cover letters, and whatnot.
Of course, you should have a generic version of your documents for personal reference. But make sure you properly research the role you’re applying for so that you can submit a well-tailored application.
Develop a system to organize your job search
Has this ever happened to you? You receive a message from a company inviting you for an interview. The only problem, you’ve forgotten you ever applied for that role. Trust me, that happens way often than you’d expect, especially when you’ve churned out hundreds of applications. That’s why keeping track of your job search is important.
For starters, you need to keep track of the companies you applied to, the positions, and the status of the application. Tracking comes in handy for follow-up. When you’ve not heard back from the employer, you can easily look up their details and send them an email or call them.
There are several tools and strategies available for organizing your job hunt. Some of the most common ones include:
- Create a job application spreadsheet
Using Excel, GoogleSheets, or any other spreadsheet tools, create the following columns:
- 1)Company name
- 2)Contact information
- 3)Email
- 4)Date applied
- 5)Role applied for
- 6)Submitted documents
- 7)Interview schedule
- 8)Follow-up: to track if you’ve sent a thank you mail.
- 9)Status: which represents your current stage in the hiring process.
Fill in the rows accordingly as you progress through the hiring process.
- Create a job application table in Word
If you’re not a big fan of spreadsheets, you can also make use of the table feature in Word to create a job application table with similar fields.
- Use Google Drive and Calendar
If you’d like to stay organized online, Google offers numerous helpful tools. You can easily export your job application spreadsheet or table to Drive. What’s more, you can use Google Calendar to keep track of important dates – like deadlines and interview dates.
- Consider project management tools.
Tools like Trello can help automate the job search process. This is particularly helpful if you need help remembering things on your checklist. For instance, with Trello, you can automate sending yourself a reminder of when to follow up with a recruiter.
- Use a notebook
Some people function better the old school way. If you’re one of them, buy a notebook that’s dedicated to your job search. You can use it to organize your job search. What’s more, you can use to jot important things that come up during the job-hunting process.
Make use of job search sites.
Job search sites like Monster, CareerBuilder, as well as recruiting agencies like Stafford Technology provides applicants with several opportunities. Make sure you take advantage of them.
LinkedIn is more than a great job search tool. Asides from allowing you to list your experiences in a more detailed fashion, it also makes networking with professionals in your field super easy.
Twitter is also another tool used by recruiters to find candidates. To make use of Twitter to find jobs, follow recruiters, hiring managers, and companies, and review their tweets daily.
Here’s a bonus: many of these job search sites like LinkedIn and Monster have internal tracking tools that can make managing seamless.
Take advantage of technology.
Several online tools can help prevent you from making blunders in the hiring process. Some to consider include:
- Grammarly
A great tool to help avoid spelling and grammatical errors in your cover letter, resume, and other documents.
- Hemingway
A simple tool that helps you write more concisely.
- Boomerang
This tool allows you to draft emails ahead of time and schedule them to be sent later. It can easily be integrated as an add-on to your Gmail.
- Zamzar
A free online tool that helps you convert files to different formats.
Wrap Up
The key to a seamless job hunt is effective management. It starts by ensuring you apply for jobs you’re a great fit for. Recruiters like Stafford Technology connect companies with candidates that are a good fit for them.
In your job hunting process, do not forget to make use of the several online free tools you have at your disposal. Good luck with your search!
