12 Job Search Steps
- Know
Yourself: Make sure you
understand your interests, values, skills and needs.
- Gather
Information: Research fields of interests and specific jobs.
Talk to friends, colleagues and activate your networks.
- Write
Your Resume: Your resume is a marketing tool, it should be concise and
focused. For resume writing tips
visit www.promisingfutures.com
or call 1-800-608-5644 for a copy of Resumes That Get Results (there
is a $5.00 charge to cover the cost of printing, handling and mailing).
Your cover letter needs to highlight your resume.
- Do
you need specialized training or additional education?
If yes, determine where you can get it.
- Plan
your time: Set-up a schedule. Sunday
– read newspaper ads, review online job ads, visit job search web pages.
Monday respond to ads of interest, Tuesday – place follow up calls
to those employers to whom you have applied, Wednesday – talk to contacts
about possible job leads, Thursday – respond to new leads, Friday- send
thank you notes to contacts, Saturday – free day!
- Set-up
a record keeping system: Keep copies of cover letters, record the dates
you mail resumes and note any responses received.
- Be
visible: Attend meetings,
programs and join associations. Be
open to the possibility that you will have an opportunity to meet someone
who has information that you need.
- Be
persistent: Keep trying. Remember,
rejection is part of the job search process.
- Anticipate
problems: Always be prepared. Common
problems include:
- Sending
your resume electronically and the employer cannot open the file, consider
pasting your resume into the body of your email;
- Technology
failures, always save a copy of your resume on a disk;
- Losing
the phone number of your contact or directions on how to get to your
interview, make sure to set-up an organizational system that you can stick
to.
- Be
creative: Think of new settings for your skills. Don’t get trapped
into thinking that your skill is only usable in one industry.
- Evaluate
the process: What is
working for you and what is not? Where
can you improve? Ask for
feedback.
- Plan
time off for refueling: Reward
yourself for your efforts even if you don’t have a job yet.
Take care of yourself.