How to Speed Up Your Job Search

Whether you’re unemployed, unhappily employed, or simply scanning the job boards to see what’s out there, you likely want to end your job search as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the job search process isn’t instantaneous, and the fantasy of getting a job offer on the spot simply isn’t a reality in today’s job market. It takes time to create a resume, write a cover letter, fill out applications, and interview with employers.

However, there are a few steps you can take to help speed up the process.While each of the tips below aren’t guaranteed to make job offers fall from the sky, they can help push the process along so that your job search doesn’t become stagnant. Learning to speed up the job search will help you stay motivated and, ultimately, get hired faster.

1. Apply to a lot of jobs

While it can be intimidating to apply to 10 jobs in a single day, it’s much better to throw as many fishing lines into the water as possible. The worst-case scenario is that you’ll have multiple job offers to choose from. However, if you wait a few days to apply to an open job, your resume and application might end up buried underneath a pile of other applicants. When this happens, the hiring manager may get enamored with another applicant and never even see your resume.

You can increase your chances of landing an interview and a job offer by simply showing up first, submitting a flawless resume, and becoming the employer’s early favorite.

2. Explore new industries

In most cases, job seekers tend to confine their search to one particular industry. Although you might have on preferred field of work, there might be job offers waiting for you in other (sometimes similar) industries.

So keep applying to jobs in your field. But at the same time, spend some time investigating other lines of work. If you see open jobs that you have the right skills for, open up your job search parameters. Sure, it might seem like a risk, but again, the worst-case scenario is you have another job offer to mull over. If you focus on one industry and one industry only, you’ll never know what other opportunities are out there.

3. Have your references ready to go

Never put a reference on your resume or job application without contacting them first. Once you reach out to your reference, let them know you've included them and when they should expect a phone call (likely after your first round of interviews).

Once you interview, contact them again and give them an update. If your references respond quickly and positively, your chances of landing the job will sky rocket. When managers have to wait for references to respond, the process slows down for everyone involved.

4. Use technology to your advantage

Put LinkedIn to work, and look for people in your network who are employed at companies you'd like to work at. Inquire about referral programs. If someone in your network is at a company that has a referral program that pays out for successful referrals, you'll be surprised (or maybe not-so-surprised) at how quickly you can move forward as a candidate. Use Excel or Google Sheets or MS Word to keep track of all the job you are applying for -- one of the biggest keys to accelerating a job search is staying organized and on top of all the positions you are applying for.