Job Search Tips: Ways to Avoid Wasted Time

By Adnan Masood 

If you are in need of a job, you might not consider job searching a waste of time. It is vital that you start obtaining a steady paycheck; therefore, any work and effort put into a job search is time well-spent. With that said, thousands of job seekers make simple, but time-consuming mistakes. Yes, each simple mistake or oversight might only lead to a minute or two of wasted time, but that time can easily add up.

To ensure your job search goes off without a hitch and to ensure you don’t waste a moment of time, here are some helpful tips:

Job Search Tip: Search Multiple Career Sites at Once

It is recommended that you search as many career sites as possible. This is due to the fact that not all companies use Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com. By only searching one job website, you limit yourself.

On that same note, you waste time if you are searching multiple job search sites separately. There are a number of computer applications, as well as smartphone apps, that enable you to search all the best career sites at once; with one search. It can take hours to search site #1, then search site #2, then site #3, and so forth.

Job Search Tip: Write Down all Jobs You Apply For and When

You might be surprised how many job seekers apply for the same job two or three times. Most of these duplicate applications or resumes are by mistake. Either way, they waste time. It is also important to note that hiring managers dislike duplicate resumes and job applications as well; it does not create a good impression.

By writing down all the jobs you applied for, you are aware. Keep in mind the date. If a company post a job for an office manager on Monday, but a new listing appears on Friday (same exact listing), they may be doing this to bump the job listing so it appears higher in the search results. If it is still the same position, don’t apply again.

However, let’s say your notes say you applied for that office manager job two months ago and the listing is reappearing. Apply again. Likely, the company hired an office manager and their new-hire didn’t pan out.

Job Search Tip: Keep Your Resume Easily Accessible

If you are in the midst of a job search, your resume should always be within reach of your fingertips. When applying for jobs online, easily access your resume from your computer. Store it in your “My Documents” with a good name “Adnan Resume.” You don’t need to waste five minutes or more searching your computer for your resume because you know it is saved…somewhere.

The same holds true for printed resumes. Job seekers should always be prepared to apply for jobs. Maybe you are at the dentist and see a “now hiring secretary” sign. If you have a printed copy of your resume in your car, you can apply. There is no need to waste time and money to return home, print your resume, and return back to the office to apply.

As mentioned above, these are simple steps that can save you time. Remember, even saving 5 minutes of time in your job search is worthwhile because those 5 minutes can easily add up to hours over the course of a month.