9 Must-Do Tips to Find a Job ASAP

9 Must-Do Tips to Find a Job ASAP9 Must-Do Tips to Find a Job ASAP Its often said that good things take time - but unfortunately, when it comes to the job search, you dont always have that luxury. Whether youre in a hurry to leave a toxic workplace , or youve been unemployed for too long and are beginning to feel a financial strain, sometimes you need to make your next career move stat.While the job hunt is often a long, drawn-out process, a quick career switch can be done. However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind first.For job seekers who need to find a new job ASAP, we advise them to be flexible with their expectations and to approach the search with a hustle mentality, says Valerie Streif, Senior Adviser at Mentat , a career services company that recently launched an outplacement service called Junction that helps businesses quickly find employment for employees who are being let go.Want to learn how you can go from unemployed to 9-to-5 in no t ime? Take the following steps to enkoranvers a speedy transition.You might be in a time crunch, but its important to resist the urge to click Apply for every open stelle you see without first giving your application materials a good scrub.Before you start to job hunt, update your resume and your LinkedIn profile. Be sure to include your skills as well as your work history. Take some time to research the job market and the positions that are available for applicants with your qualifications, says Alison Doyle, job search expert for The Balance . Particularly if youre looking for something new, more challenging and/or something you have never done, you need to revamp the resume and cover letter/ elevator pitch , adds Laura MacLeod, Creator of From The Inside Out Project . Take what you have done (consider life experience as well as professional) and spin it to fit your new desires. For example, volunteer work, projects at your childs school, events youve planned - these can all b e used to demonstrate planning, project management, hospitality, etc.Its hard to find a great next job if you dont know what your definition of a great job is. So before you get too far into the job hunt, make sure to take a step back and really think about what youre looking for.Write up a list of what you ideally want in a job title, money, promotion, the work, the company culture, geographic location, etc., etc. so you have a template to go for. The template gives you something to compare a job offer against so you dont just take anything out of desperation, says Debra Benton, Executive Coach and author of the recently published book, The Leadership Mind Switch Rethinking How We Lead in the New World of Work .Once you know what you want, its time to figure out what the companies youre applying for want. Investigating a companys Glassdoor profile is a great way to get a feel for their company culture, figure out what questions they commonly ask in interviews , and discover what salary you can expect . Once youve found a handful that seem like a good match, apply It may be a little bit more work up front, but companies will appreciate the extra effort youve put into ensuring that youre the right person for the job.The stronger a match you are for the job, the better your chances of getting selected for an interview, and for receiving a job offer fast, Doyle points out.Theres no getting around it - if you want to find a new job fast, youre going to have to put the hours in.If youre unemployed, consider your job search as your job and dedicate your working hours to it. If youre employed, but need to move on, spend as much time as you can job hunting without jeopardizing your current position, Doyle says.If youre really in dire straits, start working on your job hunt at 7 a.m., take a 30-minute lunch, and work until 7 p.m. every day - including weekends, Benton recommends. If you on average send 10 resumes a day, send 100. If you normally try for a n interview once a week, try for one every morning and one every afternoon, five days a week - for a solid month. If you want quick results you have to put six months of effort into six days, she says. Networking is definitely one of the best ways to land a new job quickly. Talking to the right person at the right moment can help you go from unemployed to a functioning worker within a day, Streif says. It also helps you to get a good idea of what is out there and available, so you can focus your search in a strategic way.So if youre out of work, tell everyone you know that youre seeking a new job, Doyle advises.Some specific networking moves to make? Go to events prepared, talk to colleagues and friends who work in your same industry, and dont be afraid to reach out on LinkedIn, Streif says.Doyle also recommends reaching out to your college career or alumni network if youre a grad, professional associations, former colleagues, and your friends and family. If you know someone wo rking at a company that interests you, ask for a referral . Employers love good referrals and thats another way you can get through the application process more quickly.Keep in mind, though, that if youre currently employed, youll likely want to be careful about where and with whom you share information. You dont want to take a chance on losing the job you have because your boss discovered youre looking for a new one, Doyle adds. It might not exactly be what you dreamed of, but if the bills are piling up, theres no shame in temporarily taking a job that youre overqualified for.Its important to determine what youre willing to sacrifice to get a job quickly. For example, if your reasons are financial, and you need to make money right away, sacrifice the type of work (challenging, interesting) for quick cash. Consider waiter, bartender, cashier, receptionist, MacLeod says.On the other hand, you can also work with a staffing agency to find work as a temp worker or contractor within t he field that youre actually interested in. Temping is a great way to make money rather quickly and see what different industries are like - especially if you are looking to try something new. Also gets you out in the work world every day - not sitting home in a vacuum, wondering how to proceed and get a job, MacLeod adds.When searching for a temp position, its best to try to find something that you could actually see yourself doing long-term, so if the company likes you and the opportunity rises, you wont need to resume your job search Streif suggests.Other options to consider, if you have the right experience, are freelancing or taking on short-term gigs , Doyle adds. All these opportunities will enable you to meet people who may be able to help you find a permanent position.While taking a short-term or temp gig may require some compromise, you should try not to compromise too much when it comes to accepting a full-time position. Dont get antsy and jump ship before you know tha t the place youre going is better than where you are. So many workers who make a major jump or transition later feel buyers remorse when the position isnt what they hoped or expected, Streif warns.After all, if you dont do your due diligence beforehand, you may find yourself back in the market for a new job before you know it.If the position isnt a good fit, and you end up leaving after a short time on the job it can make your next job search even harder. Youll need to be prepared to answer questions about why the position didnt work out , Doyle points out. In worst-case scenarios, this can lead to a vicious cycle - moving job to job - not good for you mentally/emotionally and terrible for your career, MacLeod says.So before accepting any full-time position, do your research, ask questions during your interviews and get a feel for company culture to make sure its a smart choice, Streif recommends.You might be desperate to find a new job, but your employer doesnt need to know th at. If they do sense desperation, you might risk getting lowballed on salary or even hurt your chances of getting an offer. Desperation is a red flag to employers - they wonder what the rush is. Why were you unhappy at the previous job? Maybe youre difficult, hard to work with, never satisfied. Desperation is never attractive - dont show it, MacLeod advises.Do NOT look, act, talk, walk like you are desperate, Benton agrees. Instead, stay confident, calm, and ramp up the effort even more.Last, but certainly not least, dont forget to take care of yourself during this trying time. Finding a new job is stressful - doubly so when youre in a rush. So take some time to meditate , exercise, listen to your favorite album, or whatever else it is that helps you unwind - and make sure to find a support network as well.Look to family and trusted friends for support so you can effectively make your way to a new job and find what you want/need, MacLeod recommends.