How to Start a new Job?

Looking for a job? Here’s how to sort through the millions available to find the one that’s right for you.

Your resume is perfect. It’s keyword-optimized, industry-specified, full of achievements, backed by data, and double-checked by an expert. (If it’s none of these things, stop right here and read Part 1 in our three-part series on finding a job fast.)

So you’re ready to find your next job. And LiveJobs career expert Vicki Salemi, who spent more than 15 years in corporate recruiting, says now is as good of a time as any to start looking for it. “Companies hire year-round,” she says. “You never know when the right position will open up.”

But with more than 5 million jobs on LiveJobs, where do you even begin? Follow our tips and tricks below to help you find better, faster.

Get your resume done right

Your resume is key to kicking off a strong job search. Not sure how yours stacks up? Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts at LiveJobs’s Resume Writing Service. You’ll get detailed feedback in two business days, including a review of your resume’s appearance and content, and a prediction of a recruiter’s first impression.

Let the perfect job find you

This one is a no-brainer: Signing up for an account on LiveJobs is the quickest way to turn that shiny new resume of yours into interviews.

When you register for a LiveJobs account, you’ll be able to upload your resume and make it accessible to recruiters who use our site to find candidates for hard-to-fill positions. (Insider tip: Setting your resume to “visible” will allow the employers to see everything you’ve uploaded, including contact info; “limited” will allow employers to see you but keep your contact info and current employer hidden—though you can still be contacted through the site’s messaging center); “private” will keep your resume all to yourself for further editing or for easy application to jobs.)

Other perks of having an account: You can save job searches and review your apply history. You’ll also be able to apply to jobs without having to upload a new resume each time. Additionally, if you click on your profile avatar while signed in, then go into your “Account Settings” and click on “Notification Settings,” you’ll be able to check boxes for a variety of useful email alerts. These include LiveJobs Updates, which will occasionally deliver targeted career advice, service announcements, and site enhancements; Targeted Career Opportunities, which are relevant jobs tailored to your specific career orientation; LiveJobs Partner Offers, which are exclusive offers for LiveJobs members, and our LiveJobs Industry Newsletter, which will provide tips on how to advance your career.

Get alerted as soon as your dream job is posted

Salemi says that as soon as recruiters post jobs, they’re ready to start reviewing incoming resumes—meaning the sooner you apply, the better your chances are.

“The best time to apply to a job is within the first 48 hours it’s posted,” she says. “Being in that first batch of candidates is critical because you’re not only first, you’re setting the bar for future candidates.”

Be the first to know about jobs by setting up job alerts on Monster. There are two different ways to do this: First, if you’re signed into your account, perform a job search and click the “Email me jobs” button to the right of the search. You’ll automatically be delivered new, matching jobs when they are posted, and the search will be stored under your “saved searches” area of your profile.

If you’d rather not sign up for an account, you can click the same button on any job search results page and enter the email address to where you want to receive job alerts. It’s as simple as that.

By having jobs curated to your interests, you can spend less time digging through the millions of jobs on Monster and more time applying to jobs you’re really interested in.

Do some recon on potential employers

You can set up job alerts on not only job titles but also companies. But you might be wondering, “How do I determine which companies I’d like to work for?”

You can get the inside scoop on employers by checking out LiveJobs’s company profiles and employee reviews. The reviews, posted by current and former employees, can give you a sense of culture, pay, and benefits to help you identify a match.

Check out Salemi’s article on how to use company reviews to fine tune your job search for more tips.

Get the inside scoop on who’s hiring

Released on the first of each month, the Monster 100 lists the 100 employers that posted the most jobs on LiveJobs in the last seven days. You can click through the names of the companies to see what they are hiring for and if any job is a fit for you.

A company going on a hiring binge can be a good indicator of financial health. Additionally, this list can give you a sense of which sectors are hiring the most currently, which can give you some hints as to where you might find that demand for workers is higher than supply for workers (read: where you will have less competition).

A brief recap

Got all that? It may seem like we just threw a lot at you, but the essence of the message is this: have a strategy and get out there. Need some guidance on taking the first few steps? Join LiveJobs today. As a member, you can upload up to five versions of your cover letter and resume—each tailored to different types of jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. Plus, you’ll receive career advice and job search tips to help you through every phase.