A a career coach, I’m fortunate to work with lots of different types of people.
Different industries, career goals, and approaches to developing their careers.
One thing many of them have in common is that they are waiting for the perfect time to apply for a job they want.
And this is a big mistake.
This is not to say you don’t need to prepare before applying for a job. You need to have your resume ready, for example, along with anything else the employer requires, such as a cover letter, LinkedIn profile, or portfolio.
But once you have those things ready to go, it’s time to apply!
In fact, I suggest applying for a job within 24 hours of seeing it listed, especially if you’re searching urgently – and especially in a job market where Monster reports 96% of job seekers are on the hunt. The competition is fierce, and the only thing worst than not getting the job is not ever getting the chance to apply for the job.
Not to mention, most employers don’t include job closing dates in the job posting anymore. And those same employers are leaving job postings open until they find the right candidate, not until everyone has a chance to apply. This means that for a lot of open jobs – particularly those that say “open until filled” – you only have a chance if the first round of candidates doesn’t work out.
So, the next time you decide you’ll apply for that job in a few days, when things slow down at work, or before the month is out, reconsider. Time is of the essence.
