10 Time Saving Tips For Job Seekers!

1. Use a job tracking spreadsheet

At the top of our tip list, the best timesaver for job seekers has got to be a job application tracking spreadsheet.

This is a spreadsheet where you save pertinent information about each job posting you’re interested in, or are currently in the process of applying for. This includes links to company websites, salary ranges, full time/part time status, and other details.

You can also use it to keep track of recruiters contact info, their name and position, as well as any appointments/deadlines you need to meet.

Plus, it’s a great way to start your job search by prioritizing what jobs appeal to you the most. Start with 10 or more postings that you’ve found, and decide which one you’ll investigate first!

2. Set up a master resume

Not all of your work, study, and life experience is going to be relevant for every job.

But rather than rewriting your resume from scratch for each job opportunity, take a moment and save yourself time by creating a master resume!

A master resume is a laundry list of all your credentials in one place. It doesn’t have to follow the 1-2 page limit that most recruiters require, because when it’s time to apply all you have to do is cut out the parts that don’t match up with the job description to get it down to length.

Always remove the least relevant information first, and be mindful that you can still reword some items based on the keywords in the job posting. For instance, you might have said that at a past job you demonstrated “team-based skills”, but you can alter that to match when they say they want someone who has “team-oriented skills”.

3. Craft a cover letter template

Just like your resume, you shouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel for every cover letter you write.

It is great to personalize each cover letter to speak to the value you can bring to a specific employer. But you can still have a paragraph that speaks to your overall value, and a summary statement, that you don’t need to update in most cases.

By only personalizing a part of each cover letter, you’ll save time you could be using on other job applications!

4. Define your personal goals

One of the things that keeps job seekers looking longer than they should is that they aren’t sure what it is they’re looking for.

Before setting out on your job search journey, have a destination in mind.

You can even make a short list of your “employer essentials”, like salary, benefits, location, etc. Then you can use these to skip over jobs that won’t meet your criteria.

5. Let recruiters into your LinkedIn

LinkedIn is probably the most powerful online networking tool at your disposal.

But if you aren’t making your profile available to recruiters, you aren’t using it to its fullest potential.

In your settings, you can enable the #opentowork feature that lets recruiters discover your profile when searching for employees who match your skill set.

For a step-by-step guide on how to do this, visit this help doc by LinkedIn!

6. Activate job board alerts

Many online job boards allow you to register your email to receive alerts when a job opens up that meets your criteria.

Instead of having to go and read through all new job postings regularly, you can let the job opportunities come to you!

7. Stay social

Not every interaction you have when looking for work has to be exclusively about work.

By posting industry-related news, or engaging in discussions on platforms like LinkedIn and online meetups, you can keep yourself in the eye of employers.

It’s a good way to make your search time feel like down time — and save time in the meantime!

8. Ask an agency

Employment services are available to job seekers to help them navigate their career.

You’re not the first person to look for work. In fact, it’s such a common thing that there are whole industries designed to make matching with the right employer a breeze!

Talk to an employment services agency (like yours truly) to see how we can fast track your job hunt today!

9. Have an outfit on hand!

Keep your clothes ready to go for an interview.

Set aside a business casual or formal outfit that you can grab for your next interview. That way you don’t have to stress over laundry or ask yourself “what’ll I wear???”.

10. Always ask

When you meet with recruiters and employers, be sure to ask everything you need to know.

This saves you from having to play telephone tag, or go back and forth over email to make sure everything’s copacetic.

Some common questions could pertain to timelines, contact info, hiring dates and terms of employment, etc. Whenever in doubt, just ask!

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