Did you know it takes a job seeker between 30 and 90 days on average to find a job? Staggering, isn’t it? Of course, the time it’ll take you to get hired will vary depending on the industry in which you want to work as well as the number of positions available.

Certain industries are doing more hiring than others. Some industries and companies have smoother hiring lines. Your resume and the type of position you seek will also factor in.

So, how can you speed up the hiring process? What can you do to get hired more quickly? Fortunately, there are things you can do. Certain actions have been known to help job seekers eliminate unnecessary wait times and get hired faster.

Focus Your Job Search on Your Interests and Experience

If you are a Physical Therapist who has experience in outpatient facilities, but your interest is in home health, conduct your job search accordingly. Don’t submit your resume to hospitals and physical therapy clinics if you really have no interest in working there. All that’s going to happen is you’re probably going to get an interview or two, go in to see what they are willing to offer and ultimately turn it down as it isn’t really what you want to do. Worse yet, you could end up accepting the offer and then only staying on the job for a little bit because it really isn’t something you want to do. This wastes your time and the employer’s time.

Another thing to keep in mind is having lots of jobs in a short period on time is not necessarily a quality an employer looks for when reviewing a resume. Employers want longevity. Many want an employee who is interested in helping the company grow and expand, while continuing their own personal advancement at the same time.

Looking for, and applying to, a job within your wheelhouse is a surefire way to get hired faster.

Be Prepared for Your Interview

Preparation is key when it comes to interviewing for a potential job. Not only do you need to be prepared to answer questions you may be asked, but you would also be wise to have familiarized yourself with the company where you are interviewing. Neglecting to find out anything about the company could dramatically affect the outcome of the interview.

Should it come down to you and another applicant, most executives and hiring managers will choose the applicant who arrived at the interview fully prepared. It doesn’t take long. Go online. Do a quick internet search on the company. Preparing for your interview will also offer you another opportunity to make sure the company’s goals are in alignment with your own.

Highlight Your Accomplishments and Abilities

Executive and hiring managers generally conduct numerous job interviews with potential employees before making a final decision. In some instances, it may come down to an individual’s accomplishments and abilities. Even if you don’t have more experience than another applicant, you may have other abilities of interest to an employer. You may have other accomplishments which could set you above the rest. You never know.

This is why it is important to highlight your accomplishments and abilities, in addition to your interests and intentions. Lay everything out on the table.

Be Upfront and Honest About What You Want

Speaking of laying everything out on the table, it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to be upfront and honest about what you want. Whether you want to continue your education while you gain experience, be able to further advance your career within a company, or even have a flexible schedule, you’ve got to let your interviewer know.

If you don’t tell them what you want, how can you expect them to deliver it? For example, let’s say you go in for a job interview and the company seems great. Everything is exactly what you want, but they didn’t mention anything about career advancement. Rather than leaving the interview and turning down a potentially great offer and wonderful career, speak up. Ask about it. It could be your interviewer simply forgot to mention it.

Even if the company can’t offer you want you want, at least you’ll know. The interview can end, you can move on to your next interview and they can move on to the next job applicant.

Be Ready to Make a Decision Right Then and There

Before you go on any job interview, make sure you are ready to make a decision right then and there. If you go on an interview at a job that’s maybe a little farther away than you would usually be interested in, figure out what would need to be in place for you to accept the offer. Maybe the company gives you an offer less than you originally hoped, but has other benefits (flexible schedule, continued education, great work environment, etc.) you want. 

Although not all companies will make an offer during a job interview, you should be prepared to make a decision on a job right then and there. This way, when you leave the interview, you’ll have no uncertainty.

Most of All…Be Confident

Confidence can sometimes outweigh any real or perceived shortcomings. Even if you have had problems in the past, show how you can turn negatives into positives. Show how you’ve taken prior experiences and used them to help you improve your future performance. A confident job seeker will get chosen over other applicants time and time again.

If you want an employer to have confidence in you, you need to be confident of your own abilities first. You need to know what you know, know what you don’t know and be willing to learn. Demonstrating your confidence in yourself can breed trust and confidence from a potential employer. A confident individual is far more likely to get hired fast; an employer doesn’t want to miss out.

Resources You Can Use to Help You Even More

While job seekers have countless resources at their disposal, we recommend you take a little time to go through and update your resume. Job seekers often neglect to review their resumes and, instead, simply opt to use an older version. What you may not realize is your resume is what gets your foot in the door. Without a good resume, your chances of getting an interview are slim to none. Don’t let your resume kill your chances of getting the job you want and deserve!

Once you’ve got your resume in order, you can take advantage of the internet and submit your resume to job search websites. Employers often use these sites to find candidates they deem suitable to fill any open positions they may have.

You can also turn to a recruiter or headhunter. These individuals can help you streamline your job search and get you in front of employers you never thought possible.

The key is to utilize the resources at your disposal. Sometimes it’s not necessarily the volume of resumes you submit, but the ways in which those resumes are submitted.

The People Link is dedicated to helping match qualified Allied Health and Dental applicants with top-of-the-line healthcare companies. If you’d like a hand getting your name to the top of their job interview list, we are here to help. You can go online anytime to review our job listings or find out more about our services. You can also call Mya directly at 818-890-9998 if you have any questions or are ready to get the ball rolling.