An active job search can take a considerable amount of time from your day applying for job posting after job posting. There are so many jobs available and there are limited hours in the day. It makes it challenging to catch each post when they first appear. It becomes your job to find your next exciting opportunity. Taking advantage of the tools available are a great way to make your job search a more efficient process.

Timing Is Everything

It is imperative to apply for a job posting early on. What does early on mean? Well, it is not practical to be able to post for a job the day it goes up. As much as you would like to, it is not always possible. A rule of thumb is to post within the first few days and typically no later than a week. Although job postings stay up for a month or so, it does not mean the decision maker is still considering candidates at that point in time. If you are really excited about a post that has been up for quite some time, go for it. In some instances, the decision making cycles through candidates, does some screening and doesn’t find the right candidate. Under that circumstance, they should still be looking thirty plus days in. I would not suggest making a habit of it, but you never know.

Be Ready to Post

You want to make sure your resume is ready when you apply for job postings. It is important to make sure you present yourself in the best light before you apply. Take a few days to update your resume to make sure you are happy with it, before applying for a particular job.

When Should I Hear Back?

You could hear something from human resources a week later or you could hear back months later.  Job search candidates find this to be the most difficult part. Candidates feel like they fall into a black hole, radio silence. Conducting a successful job search requires persistence and lots of patience. You have to keep at it. Apply for many jobs, do not get your heart set on one particular opportunity. Something may not look as exciting on paper, but it may surprise you.

Being proactive and timely in your job search is so incredibly important. You want to watch for job postings early on so you can be one of the first to apply. Some recruiters and hiring managers receive hundreds of applicants within the first few days. You want to be part of that process when they conduct their initial screening. It may be less likely for them to consider applicants after that. Giving yourself the best possible chance to be considered is one of the key factors in a successful job search.

You can set it up, so you receive alerts about opportunities you are interested in. That will help you be more efficient. Consider posting your resume as well so there are more eyes on it from key decision makers at the companies and externally. There are definitely ways to develop a strong job search strategy.