Did you know that one of the slowest methods of finding a new job is by applying to a job posting? Sure, it might be one of the easiest, most common and comfortable methods, however, it has a success rate of about 4%. So, for about every 100 applications or resumes you send out, you might only get an interview or a call back from four companies. But, even worse, often, you don’t connect with anyone, and you don’t learn anything new.

And, let’s face it – during this coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the global economy has been slowing down, and many people are noticing there are fewer job postings than ever. Don’t let that stop you from being proactive about finding your ideal job.

Applying to job postings can be discouraging and leave people feeling a bit hopeless as they often receive zero feedback. In fact, we often don’t even know if our resume gets read by anyone at all.

What if there was a smarter, more efficient way of finding your next ideal job? I recommend what I call the Accelerated Job Search Approach during any time, but especially during a time like COVID-19.

This approach can drastically speed up your job search, and is probably about 10 times more effective than just relying on job-postings alone. It maximizes your ability to make connections and form new relationships, learn more about your field, get an interview, land a job, or even create a job that you’re interested in. In a nutshell, here’s how it works:

How to Accelerate Your Job Search During COVID-19

Research: Go online, and research companies where you might be interested in working. Read through their website to see if it seems like a good fit for you. Look at their listed postings also. Sometimes companies post on their own website but don’t advertise on the job search boards.

Create a Dream List of Companies: Start a list of your ‘dream’ companies in Excel, Word, or in your notebook, a place where you can begin to keep track of all your efforts and actions. If you’re unsure where to begin, -try thinking about which industries or career fields might interest you the most. Then, try to come up with a list of companies within that industry. Alternatively, have a peak at Alberta’s top employer’s (2020) .

Identify a Key Contact at the Company: Do some research where you can find the name of a hiring manager, or someone in the company who might be invested in who is being hired. I am not referring to HR managers as they are usually only involved when there is an available job posted. Right now, there are probably few postings, and you don’t have time to wait for those. If it’s a smaller company, you might find it on their website, but you can also try going to LinkedIn, or simply doing a Google search on the person’s name and “email” or “contact”. Alternatively, ask your friends and family if they know of anyone working there.

Create a Friendly Introductory Email: Now that you’ve found a potential contact, take a few hours to draft up a warm introductory email. The goal of this email script is to introduce yourself and to share that you are in the process of making a career transition, and that you’re interested in learning more about how your skills and abilities might be an asset to this company. Take your time with this email – several edits are a good idea. From the moment you send out your correspondence you are setting an impression which may determine your worth to the company.

Don’t specifically ask if they have any jobs or openings, as this will likely lead them to brush you off. Instead, ask for an information interview. This is a brief 15-20-minute meeting in-person or on the phone, where you try and have all your questions answered about what it is liked to work in that environment. Don’t get me wrong – obviously they will probably assume that you’re looking for work, but you don’t want to lead with something that’s in it just for you. Instead, you want to focus on the skills and expertise that you may be able to contribute in their environment.

At the end of your warm and friendly email, you can also state that you will try following up with the person in about 5 business days if you don’t hear back from them. This let’s them know that they will be hearing from you. Often, you’ll just get their voice mail, but it gives you a chance to leave a lovely first impression!

The purpose of the information interview is to help you learn more about what is currently happening in the COVID economy right now. Don’t assume that there is nothing happening and that no one is hiring. Instead, find out for sure, and use this an opportunity to learn more about your industries of interest, companies, and new upcoming changes that you may be a good fit for. And, if the company you contact is hiring, you must just be one of the first people to know.

Our economy is changing so incredibly fast, and its good career management to stay on top of what is happening in your industry or to learn what is happening in emerging industries that you’re considering.

We’ve moved from a world of showing up in-person to now hosting our birthday parties on Zoom, and watching Air Canada use drones to deliver our medical supplies in Canadian communities. And in a matter of only a few years, drones may be delivering our take out food to our front door as is already happening in Europe. It’s absolutely surreal. In my own career as a psychologist, all my counselling sessions have been online through video since March 2020, and I never would have expected to work in this manner.

What’s next? The only way to find out is by getting in touch with prospective employers, not just by sending a resume. An information interview request at the very least will possibly give you some feedback, but a submitted resume that never gets read might just leave you more tired and discouraged.

You can read more about how to conduct an information interview by reading the University of Alberta Career Centre’s detailed guidebook on Information Interviews or the Alis Alberta website. Also, click here for another list of other career resources during COVID-19:

Author: Dr. Allison Foskett, Registered Counselling Psychologist, Edmonton, Alberta

To learn more about my background and training as a registered psychologist, please visit my About Me page

If you’re interested in exploring career counselling services, career assessments, or individual therapy for a range of mental health concerns, please contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation.