Introduction

Layoffs are unexpected events that can catch us off, guard. However, they also provide an opportunity to reassess our lives. What we do after a layoff can help us uncover our true gifts and potential. The approaches or actions you take to land your next job quickly reveal how you operate in times of desperation or stress.

Apply to 10-20 Jobs Daily

To land a job, you must apply for it. It’s that simple. Unfortunately, many job seekers must pay more attention to consistently applying for jobs, and this is especially true after a layoff. While the prospect of applying for jobs may initially seem overwhelming, daily practice can help make it a routine.

Let’s do the math: If you spend 10 minutes reading each job description, you can easily apply to 5-6 jobs per day.

My goal was to apply to 5-10 jobs daily.

Applying to 5 jobs a day means that in one week, I applied for 35 jobs (7 days * 5 jobs per day; yes, seven days a week – no weekends during this phase).

Over four weeks that amounts to 140 applications (35 applications * 4 weeks).

The more jobs you apply for, the more your resume will be circulated, increasing your chances of landing interviews.

I have created a blog post on “How To Break Your Day into Smaller Manageable Chunks While Finding New Work?”

Increase Job Applications by Going into Overdrive Mode

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Applying to 5-10 jobs daily is like traveling at an average speed to reach your destination. But when you rush to get there faster, you need to take action more quickly. That means increasing the number of job applications you submit.

You can take external help to increase your application count, whether from your spouse, kids, or anyone else who can help.

Why not try applying to 50-75 jobs in a week? Or even 100 jobs in a week? With remote job opportunities, employers are open to hiring people from different regions.

I was even interviewed for a company in California where the HR team was in New Zealand, the development team in Brazil, and the management team in India.

In short, finding your next gig in 30 days requires overdrive action.

Attend Local Job Fairs.

Media and marketing make us believe that technology takes care of everything. However, behind the technology are real people who prefer to meet others before offering jobs or signing contracts. There is no better way to connect than through human interaction. Local job fairs are designed for local companies looking to hire candidates in the area.

Attending a local job fair allowed me to meet fantastic people. Although asking for a job at first was uncomfortable, once I did it, the experience stayed in my memory and became more manageable over time.

The steps:

1. Search for a job fair appropriate to your industry on Google or Eventbrite.
2. Before attending the job fair, research the companies that will be present and have booths.
3. Prepare one-page resumes for each booth at the job fair. Each company presents a potential opportunity to land your next job, so having your resume on hand is helpful.
4. Prepare a brief “Tell me about yourself” speech. Once you arrive at the venue, it’s easy to get distracted by the sheer volume of people and activities. Remember why you came!
5. Approach each booth and introduce yourself. Remember, recruiters will speak with many people at the job fair, so make yourself stand out. One way to gauge a recruiter’s interest is to see if they ask you questions. If they do, it’s a good sign that they are interested in your candidacy.
6. Collect the business cards of each person you speak with, so you can send them a thank you email for their time spent at the job fair.

While you are at the venue, sincerely ask recruiters for any additional feedback on your resume that could help them make a decision quickly.

I used the following script: “Hi, Mr./Ms. [x], can I ask you a question beyond the recruitment process? I understand that you have been in this area for some time and have seen both sides of the coin – job seekers and jobs. Do you have any recommendations, tips, or tricks to help accelerate my job search? As you can understand, my contract is ending, and finding a new job in this economy is crucial. “

It is essential to understand that recruiters are also people doing their jobs.

Read more on “How Can You Ask For Help? Ask the Gatekeep During the Job Search”

Reach out to friends and previous colleagues for additional help.

After receiving valuable insights from recruiters, I realized there was no point in holding back. I began reaching out to friends for help. One of them reviewed my resume and gave me feedback, which I incorporated before going back for another round of review. As I contacted more friends for one-on-one calls, more ideas were shared, and additional references were offered.

Networking is a fascinating phenomenon. As the saying goes, “Your network is your net worth.” This experience has led me to view my network as a garden of small plants requiring nurturing, feeding, and maintenance to grow organically. Witnessing the willingness of so many people to help when asked is exhilarating, and it makes it easier for me to brush off job search failures or rejections.

No Stone Unturned Philosophy.

We should not leave any stone unturned and exhaust all potential possibilities before throwing in the towel. Aside from submitting applications online and attending local job fairs, it can be helpful to let your friends know you are looking for a job. In addition, there is one more additional attempt I tried.

I downloaded a list of prime vendors from the internet with around 3000 names and email addresses. I then emailed all of them, introducing myself and my work experience, along with a one-page resume. I utilized the mail merge functionality for this task.

Conclusion.

“What we want also wants us.” The work we seek also wants us to work for it. Preparing for a job interview is primarily a solo effort, but presenting your profile or making it visible to potential employers requires the action of multiple parties, which requires additional focus.