How to get a job


The straight forward way to get a job.

If you are looking for a job then look no further we have the answer for you.

Phase 1: Be prepared - it's time to get it together.

"If you stay, you ain't got to get ready" - Suga Free

Firstly you need to have a resume, that is essentially your passport into HR, without it you won't even be considered as a candidate. has provided a really in-depth YouTube video on what is defined as a "good" or "bad" resume and can be found by going here. A few minutes on Google or YouTube will do you wonders in learning anything from resume building to professional networking.

Professional Networking?

Professional networking is a big deal nowadays, according to a survey over 90% of employers will use social media recruiting in 2012 (Source). So in order to stay afloat in today's job market you need to start networking, primarily by using LinkedIn - The world's largest professional network. You can sign up for a free profile and professionally network with job recruiters and other professional people, think of LinkedIn as your online resume when a physical copy is not an option which allows you to market your past work experience, skills, education, and even personal achievements.

Phase 2: Get up early - with a plan, and apply.

The early bird not only gets the worm, but the bread too.

Most job postings happen during normal business hours, because logically that's when people work. When you're searching for work that doesn't mean that you are "off work", your occupation just changed so no more sleeping in or all the postings you see online may be irrelevant. Typically it's best practice to get up around 6AM to find fresh job postings, and around 2 and 3PM the postings die down and replies start getting less likely. At that cool down period that's when you check sources like news paper classifieds, local businesses, and even local job placement agencies. Additionally around this time it's the mid-afternoon slump, no one is going to want to respond to emails, nor answer calls, that's when you go in with a refreshing face and start handing out resumes.

Responding to emails.

One thing you have to know is how to properly respond to emails, email etiquette is essential to getting your foot in the door when submitting online applications. Firstly avoid all slang and abbreviation, no lol or ttyl, and do not abbreviate things that do not need to be abbreviated or make up your own abbreviations. If you are applying for an IT job you may know what RODC, DNS, DHCP means but the HR representative may not have a clue. Your friendly neighborhood software company Microsoft has an old yet extremely relevant guide to proper e-mail etiquette. Furthermore before you send any e-mail you need to have a professional email, or won't cut it in a professional workplace, have you ever seen a CEO or anyone with a position of power with such an email? Keep it simple, is your safe zone, you can even do other variations of your name. Consider your email as an extension of you before an HR representative even sees you they see your email, wouldn't you want to be seen as, or

I have the etiquette down, but what do I say?

Responding to an email is not hard, firstly if there are any integrated instructions included in the post you are replying to actually do them, some postings require a cover letter, others require contact information on the top of the email as opposed to the bottom signature field, essentially read the directions before replying. Furthermore do not reply like you are writing an essay, there is no need for a thesis, topics, and analysis written in paragraph form, think of it like this write down how you would talk to the manager in person. (In properly worded sentences and phrases using proper Mainstream American English)

Here's an example of how to respond to a job ad on the internet.

Hello (Insert name here if available otherwise use company name, or Sir / Madam),

     My name is John Smith and I saw your post looking for (what ever you are replying for) and I thoroughly believe that I meet the qualifications for this position. I have attached my resume to this email for your evaluation and if you need to contact me please do so at (555) 123-4567 or I look forward from hearing back from you regarding this opportunity.



It's that simple essentially write how you would speak and the rest will flow. :D

No replies?

Not every email you send will get an immediate response, sometimes you will not get a response at all, do not get discouraged and keep applying and sending emails, applications, etc.  You may also like to check if all the information you submitted meets the requirements for the job you are posting for and that all of your information is up to date.


In conclusion I hope that you found this guide useful all you need to do in order to tackle the job market is:

  1. Be prepared, by having resumes and have a professional network backing. (Think LinkedIn)
  2. Get up early, no more waking up at noon since you don't have to go into the office.
  3. Actually apply and properly respond to emails.
  4. Wait for responses.

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Publish Date:

2014-03-19 13:22:57

Last Modified:

2019-01-29 14:36:11