5 Ways To Find Who’s Hiring Right Now

Job searching is tough right now for many reasons. We are all experiencing new sources of change and challenge daily, some much more than others. Hiring has slowed for many companies, and yes, layoffs are happening. 

That said, many companies are continuing to hire -- especially as stimulus relief comes into play -- and some companies are hiring en masse as a result of the crisis. Whether you’ve been laid off and you imminently need a new job or you’ve been job searching for some time, there is hope! 

In fact many of my clients are continuing to receive job offers.

You just have to know where to look and how to focus your job search energy on the right opportunities. 

Here's my take on the best ways to find who’s hiring right now:

1. Leverage curated lists

LinkedIn is constantly updating its “Who’s hiring right now?” list which you can find under trending conversations on the LinkedIn homepage.

LinkedIn's editors curate this list based on not just news but also platform data, so you can trust this as a reputable indicator of companies worth your job search time and energy. 

Also, it may seem basic, but if you Google questions like, “Who’s hiring right now?” “Companies hiring during coronavirus,” or “Industries surviving coronavirus," you can find additional curated lists of industries and companies that are sustaining or even ramping up hiring during this time. Just be sure to choose the most recent articles for the most to-date information.

2. Use these little-known search terms 

“I’m hiring” / “We’re hiring”

To find hiring managers who are actively seeking candidates like you, visit LinkedIn and type “I’m hiring” “[job title/team you want to join]" into the search box. You can then filter the results by location, company, industry and more to find strong-fit hiring managers to contact. 

“Urgent”

By typing into the search box “urgent need” (on LinkedIn) or “urgently hiring” (on Indeed), you’ll find the companies and specific job opportunities that are urgently seeking candidates. Here again, you can add "[your ideal job title]" into the search box next to "urgent need" for more precise results, and/or filter by job function, location, industry and other factors to find the jobs that fit you best. 

In your search results you’ll also see jobs with the bold label “Promoted” next to the title. This means that a company is paying to have their posting appear highest in search results, which is also a strong indication that the role is viable and actively seeking candidates.

“Remote” 

Many companies are operating almost entirely remotely during this time. That means your current location is no longer a significant barrier to entry for many companies -- and in a strange way there are now more roles available to you than ever before.

Type “remote” “[your ideal job title]” into the search box and you’ll find a host of opportunities that you can pursue no matter where you’re located. 

3. Check job posting dates

Filter your search results for jobs that match your criteria and were posted in the past week or month. Or when you see a job posting that interests you, be sure to check the date that the posting went live.

If a job was posted a couple of days or weeks ago, that tells you that the company is continuing to hire during this time and that this role is actively being filled.

If the job was posted two months ago, don’t waste an instant applying for the position until you’ve verified that the company is still actively hiring for the role.

How do you do that? 

4. Ask! 

Before applying for any role right now (or any time, really), reach out to the recruiter or hiring manager who posted the job, or someone who works on the team you’re interested in joining, and ask about the status of their hiring plans.

Asking is the only way to get a clear take on whether applying is worth your precious time and energy. And it doubles as an opportunity to build relationships and snag a referral from someone on the inside, which makes you ten times more likely to land the interview than applying online.

Here’s a template you can adapt for yourself:  

Hi [name],

My name is [name] and I’m a [type of work you do] professional with [relevant qualifications, e.g. # years of experience or specific relevant area of expertise]. I’m reaching out because I’m very interested in the [job title] position that was posted, but I’m unsure whether your team is still reviewing applications given the coronavirus situation. 

I’d appreciate your guidance on whether I should go ahead and submit my application or hold off until a later date? 

Even more-so, I’d like to send my best to you and your team. I’m a long-time admirer of [company] and I’ve been truly impressed by how your company has responded to this crisis [detail]. I know this is a challenging time and I hope you are all staying safe and well.

I look forward to connecting when the time is right.

[Your name]

5. Check in with your network

I’ve written countless articles on how to maintain enduring and positive relationships with members of your network: current and former coworkers, partners, clients, bosses, family, friends. 

It doesn’t take much to send someone a quick email, text, or even handwritten note to let them know that you’re thinking of them, to mention something they did or taught you that makes you feel grateful, and to offer a helping hand when they need it. 

If you’ve been cultivating those relationships all along, you should feel empowered to circle back to those people and let them know that you’re in need of some help. Share the type of opportunities that you’re seeking and ask for their ideas of companies or individuals worth contacting right now. 

Better yet, ask for a 20-minute catch-up phone call to pick their brain (people tend to generate more ideas when they’re thinking aloud and in partnership). 

If you haven’t been cultivating those relationships, that’s okay. Now could be a great time to start! (A kind message from an old contact may be a welcome occurrence right now.)

You might be surprised how quickly those relationships reignite and how willing your connections are to lend their knowledge, networks and care during this tough time. 

I hope this list gives you some concrete guidance for prioritizing the organizations and opportunities you want to pursue in your search.

And I’d love your help building on this list as well! Please share in the comments: which tactics am I missing, or what other strategies have worked for you?