The stressful rush to jump straight into a new job after the loss of an old one can be incredibly daunting, whatever the reason for being out of work. It’s easy to wonder ‘Well what do I do now?” and other questions filled with urgency. You are not alone in trying to break through the initial barrier before leaping back into the world of work, and here are a number of things to consider and explore, depending on your situation.

It’s possible you’ve just been put out of work and are now left with the prospect of wanting to find a new job right away. If your situation allows, both financially and personally, now may be the perfect opportunity to taking the time to work on improving yourself as a candidate. Finding courses to develop more of some key specific skills can hugely boost your profile as a candidate and can make the later job search all the more successful, both in positions you may be offered and in faster time.

This may also apply if you have recently been let go, fired or lost a job in a position you now realise you didn’t enjoy, or if you have a wider aim of working your way up the employment position ladder. Boosting your qualifications and displaying a willingness to learn and self-improve is massively appreciated by employers in all sectors, so shouldn’t be a potential that is dismissed. This can also act as a boost if you feel you have little experience in your field, and can set yourself ahead of other candidates if you opt to stay in the career path you’re currently in.

If your looking for quick, fast work an important tip is to not neglect networking, of any kind. Asking of local businesses, or positions acquaintances or family members may have seen opening up can hugely aid your job search and opens up numerous positions you might’ve missed applying for otherwise.

Another thing to ensure you utilise is the existence of online job seeking sites, such as Indeed or Glassdoor etc. These sites offer an incredibly wide range of remote, mobile, part-time, full-time or temporary jobs depending on your needs, wants and location straight from the employers. There is no limit on the amount of jobs you can easily apply to, most only requiring a CV submission or potentially partaking in a short questionnaire. This avenue arguably provides the fastest path to a diverse range of positions, so suitable if time is short for you and you require a fast search with specific needs (e.g. fitting around school times, ability to access childcare from the employer), but it may be tough in finding a career right for you.

Overall, finding a new job doesn’t have to be a rushed time of high stress. Your needs, wants and current situation will affect the optimal avenue to start your job search; presented here is the potential for utilising networking and current contacts, online job searching or taking some time to self-improve and boost your candidate profile. Good luck!