Long gone are the days of sticking with a job for decades. People are constantly looking for new ways to navigate the workforce and capitalize on opportunities. There are many job-searching strategies that have a solid track record and will pay off. On the other hand, there are many that are a total waste of your time and energy. Figuring out the best (and worst) ways to job hunt is important, but time-consuming.
Luckily, you don’t have to figure that out alone! We have it all mapped out for you so focus on the strategies that will truly make a difference. Here are our rankings from worst to best ways to do a job search.
6. Mailing a resume [WORST]
This works at getting you an interview less than 5 percent of the time. Practically all jobs handle hiring communication through email or online portals. Save your ink.
5. Job listings directly from the company website
If you found a job listing that is solely hosted on the company website, with no public listings on LinkedIn or Indeed, you may have found yourself a phantom listing. Most employers are not legally required to post the job openings they have, but many do regardless.
A cold application has an extremely low success rate. It’s a hassle unless you intend to tap into your networking skills.
4. Job Boards: LinkedIn Easy Apply
While typical job boards require research and careful selection of the businesses to apply to, LinkedIn Easy Apply increases the volume of applications you submit. Basically, it’s a battle of quality vs. quantity. The likelihood of you scoring a phone screening is pretty high, but the odds of you actually getting the job? Not as high.
However, this method is harmless since you aren’t dedicating much time tailoring your information and can stack on way more positions. If you’re desperately in need of a job, this is the way to go.
With that said, remember that it’s not about being the perfect match for the hiring manager, it’s about finding the perfect match for YOU. If you’re rapidly swiping through, you may get dozens of matches initially, only to find out you have a lasting connection with no one.
3. Job Boards
The Easy Apply method needs to be counterbalanced with more deliberate, targeted job searching through your network and applying to businesses that you enjoy.
The downside is that many (if not most) job postings never quite make it to the job board. Not to mention that many jobs posted are also listed on other websites.
The good news is that LinkedIn and Indeed both show you when the job was posted, so you can avoid applying to ones that have been listed for over a month. Indeed also lets users know when the listed hiring manager last reviewed the applications and how responsive they are.
2. Headhunters
For experienced job seekers, recruiters are a way to hear about job openings, getting introduced to hiring managers, and landing more interviews in their job search. (We know a thing or two about this!) If a recruiter has already reached out to you, it’s good to know that they WANT you to land the role and will serve as an advocate for you during the process. A recruiter can expedite those tedious hiring funnels for you, so never try to work around them.
1. Your network [BEST]
The first rule of a job search: Tell people you’re looking for a job. Who is going to help you if you don’t tell people? Tell your former colleagues, friends, family, former recruiter, cashier… let the world know that you are on the hunt. Any time you can get directly introduced to a hiring manager, you will have a much higher chance of getting the interview. You also have that mutual connection to bridge the gap and serve as a reference for you.