The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:
“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” - Peter F. Drucker
Books, movies, TV shows and a computer game, the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" has many forms.
Not to disappoint, but my guide is not so bold or interesting. Unless, of course, you are looking for a job and don't have a clue (meant in only the nicest way).
Even for those who have looked for jobs in the recent past, job search can seem daunting at best and lifestyle threatening at worst. Overwhelming as it may seem, your approach will be most influenced by the driver (do you have a job and are looking to make a change or are you already unemployed).
First and foremost, you are not alone. But most importantly, a structured approach to your search will provide the best chance for finding your new job more quickly.
The basics have not changed. You will need:
A Job Search Plan: Simple as it may sound, sitting down and writing your plan can be time consuming. It does not have to (and should not) be "War and Peace", but it should be comprehensive and well thought out.
A Job Search Marketing Toolkit: Your job search marketing toolkit includes: your resume, Cover letters, References, Thank you letters, Target market, Elevator speech, Network and Your experience.
A Focused Approach: If you are not organized, your search will be difficult at best. Who have you called, who do you need to follow-up with, what jobs have you applied for and a thousand other things to organized. Keeping track is key to a successful search:- Quintcareers.com has a free follow-up log – Sample Job Lead Follow-up Log and their article “Follow Up All Job Leads: Don’t Wait by the Phone (or Computer)” is definitely worth a read.
- The University of North Dakota’s Career Site has an article and tracking tool – Job Search Tracking as well.
- Tracking your search - CareerAlley Website Tracking Tool.
Good luck in your search.
Author: CareerAlley
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
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Most people don't "plan" their job search. They jump from activity to activity hoping that something will work out. The job search is different for each person. Some people rely more on sending out resumes while others focus on networking. Regardless, having a daily "To Do" list would be a huge help to a lot of people. It simply would be much easier if the job search were carried out with a plan in place.
Posted by: Carla Bosteder | January 23, 2012 at 06:41 PM
You can't forget about research. Often times a candidate will ship their resume to every company and job listing with the right buzz words. However, making sure you research the companies you are applying for will give you a much deeper understanding of whether or not you want to work there. - Organization is also a huge factor, which might cut down on applying multiple times to the same position, which doesn't look too grand.
Posted by: Christopher | January 30, 2012 at 03:16 PM