A wise man once said that “No matter how long it takes, true love is always worth the wait.” The same is true when searching for the right job.

Job hunting requires a lot of waiting. Between submitting your application and first interview are a few days up to a couple of weeks of anticipation. Similarly, the tense moment between the final interview and the job offer also requires a hefty amount of waiting time.Job hunting requires a lot of waiting. Between submitting your application and first interview are a few days up to a couple of weeks of anticipation. Similarly, the tense moment between the final interview and the job offer also requires a hefty amount of waiting time.

Let’s just say you’ve sent your application and got a call for an interview but the HR says they’re still processing other applications and will call you soon. While this may not be an ideal situation for most candidates there are several ways to turn it into a positive and rewarding experience. Here are four great tips to help you make the most of the wait time.

Apply for other jobs
This may sound like a no-brainer for some but a lot of candidates actually prefer to just really wait (as in do nothing, be on standby mode and expect things to just fall into place) rather than actively pursuing more opportunities in the field.

Don’t forget to continue your job search after sending out your applications or even after the job interview. It doesn’t really matter how your interview went or how sure you are about getting the job you interviewed for – keep the momentum going and continue applying for other jobs. That way, even if you don’t get the job that you originally interviewed for, you’ll have a backup plan in place.

Learn a new skill
Enrol on a short course, learn a new skill, enhance an existing one – these are just some of the things you can do on your down time. It may even be as simple as hitting the library (or the internet) to read. The important thing is that you do something productive and practical with your time.

Besides, there are only a few things that are more rewarding than learning new things while waiting. Use your time to further improve your market value by learning a thing or two.

For example, if you are a graphic designer, you can enroll in a multi-media class so you can take your graphic design skills even further. If you don’t want to pay for classes, reading books or watching free tutorials online can do the trick. And even if you don’t end up getting the job, the lessons and the new skills and knowledge your gained will become an asset as you move forward and start looking for jobs again.

Do volunteer work
Get a whole lot more from your free time by signing up as a volunteer for various organizations or community service groups. You may not be paid for your efforts but you will walk away from it with an improved or even a brand new set of skills.

Doing volunteer work can also help you gain new friends and contacts, further broaden your support network and strengthen your relationship with your community. Think about volunteering as an opportunity to gain new experience and increase your pool of character references. Having prominent people in your community willing to help vouch for you and support your case can be seen as an asset to companies you apply to.

Search for freelance or part-time opportunities

Much like volunteering to improve or develop new skills, doing freelance or part-time jobs provide you with almost the same perks but with the assurance that you’ll earn money on the side. Freelance or part-time jobs can be your primary source of income until you find a regular job. Not only can they sustain you but they can also provide you with the much needed resources to continue your job search. And if by some strange luck you fail to land a full-time job, your freelance or part-time work will help you keep both ends meet.

Bonus Tip: When waiting for a call for an interview or anticipating the results of an earlier interview, check in on the company you applied for to make sure that your application is being processed. Send them an email or give them a call after the timeline they gave you for hearing something has passed. Follow up only once and don’t check in aggressively.