6 Ways to Make 15 Minutes Count in Your Job Search

6 Ways to Make 15 Minutes Count in Your Job Search 6 Ways to Make 15 Minutes Count in Your Job Search Job searching can seem like an interminable process when you’re in the throes of it. Search for jobs, send out job applications. Repeat. Over and over again. But there are ways you can spruce up your job search by using mini deadlines to get things done. Here are six  ways to make 15 minutes count in your job search: 1. Make your social media private. Let’s face it: although much of Facebook is fake, there are always going to be those errant photos posted by a friend or a ranting post that might not paint you in the best job seeker light. So first things first: set your social media channels to private (i.e., friends only), and spend a little time curating your page to make sure that there isn’t anything on there that could cast an unfavorable shadow on you or your chances of getting hired. 2. Invest in a resume writer. Like anything else, writing is a skill. But even the best writers can get stumped when it comes to resume writing. If you find that you can’t quite get the knack of summarizing your entire education, career, and skill set on one single page, it might be time to invest in a resume writer. These professionals can polish your accomplishments and write them in a way that is pleasing to both a potential employer- and won’t get your resume rejected by the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). 3. Clear the clutter. Can you see the surface of your desk? Maybe yes, maybe no. Thing is, a cluttered desk means a cluttered mind, so it’s in your best job searching interest to find a way to keep the clutter to a minimum. Having everything neat and tidy in your home office can also help in case you have a last-minute video interview. And reducing the amount of clutter- and keeping it that way- is a great soft skill that all remote workers should have and can help boost your job search performance. 4. Assess your job search style. You might like to job search a little bit in the morning, and then again at nighttime. Or you might be the type who wants to commit a full few hours daily to job hunting to get it done with. Whatever the case might be, it’s a good idea to assess your job search style to ascertain what is working- and what isn’t. It might be that you’re a morning person and therefore produce your best work during the early daylight hours. If that’s the case, restructure your search to optimize those hours instead of sprinkling your search throughout your day. 5. Commit to networking. Networking is an integral part of job searching, and whether you love or loathe it, you’ll need to do it at some point. So look for ways to incorporate networking naturally into your job search. It might be something as simple as committing to talking to at least one new person a day about your job search, or even following a potential mentor on Twitter. Small, simple steps can help you build your networking confidence, making it a whole lot easier to do, and hopefully lead you towards a solid connection that will land you an interview. 6. Hone your remote interviewing skills. If you’re looking for a telecommuting job, there’s a good chance that your job interview might be conducted via Skype. If you’re camera-shy, there’s no better time to start practicing your video interviewing skills than during those 15 minutes you’ve set aside each day to improve your job search! Practice looking directly at the camera, speak slowly and clearly, remembering to smile, and have a cheat sheet like your resume or other notes on your desk (but not in camera view) in case you need to reference a past job or employer’s name. Also, be sure to have a camera-ready interview suit (top and bottom, please), and make sure that your home office is clear of clutter. That way, you’ll present yourself in the best possible light. Fifteen minutes might not seem like a whole lot of time, but it can greatly improve your job search. By working under a tight deadline, it will force you to focus on what needs to get done, and hopefully make you a stronger remote job candidate! Start Your Job Search