When looking for a job it’s important to realize that the process of looking is a job itself. Since you have no one to tell you what to do, you are your own boss. Because of this it’s important you manage your time & actions appropriately.
It’s probably safe to assume anyone looking for a job wants one pretty fast. However the job hunting process rarely works fast and is more often a case of perseverance and proper action. This article will give you 3 key areas to focus on while looking for a job.
Fix your resume
Before you start even start looking at jobs you need to fix your resume. If you think your resume is “already good enough” that’s fine however you are cheating yourself out of a chance to set yourself apart from your competition.
Use different guides and resources to your advantage to figure out how to best structure your resume.
Always be wary of grammar and formatting errors, make sure your contact information is up to date – try to have someone review your resume if you can.
Once you have done this, start doing research on the type of jobs you will be looking for. Try and find out what type of things the employers are looking for in employees.
By doing this research you can better position yourself to play to the employers interests. Try looking at past employee reviews in your industry to look for anything about the interviewers likes or the process itself.
Make good use of your time
As said above looking for a job is a job – since you have no boss you need to be in charge of what gets done. It’s important to take a broad look at your situation and prioritize the things you need to do. Hold yourself to improving on these areas and schedule your time around getting them complete.
Try dividing your job hunting between these 3 things:
- Learning about interviews — Be sure to dedicate time to learning about the intricacies of the interview process. Take the time and look for ways you can improve your interview skills. Also improve any personal skills that you think will help you get employed.
- Researching companies — A portion of your time should be spent researching potential companies you want to work for. You can look for the types of things they value in employees and focus on highlighting these things while applying.
- Applying — The rest of your time should be scheduled for applying. Split your time between applying online and applying in person. Give yourself a weekly goal of how many companies you want to apply to and dedicate yourself to spending minimum 1 hour job hunting online per day.
Consistency
Finally you need to be consistent. The above tactics are useless if you only practice them for a week. Everything worth doing takes time. Exercise patience while executing your plans and always keep a positive mind state.
Be sure to take the time to review and adjust your tactics. Look at the type of actions that have gotten you calls – see what you can do to replicate the process. This way you save time and energy by only focusing on the most effective tactics.
Being consistent definitely isn’t easy. It can be even harder if you are feeling down from not being able to find a job. This is why creating a schedule is so important – it allows you to remain steady & consistent by working on different things every day.
If you can be your toughest critic and follow the actions you have planned out you will find yourself being rewarded.
Share your strategies below! Leave your comments! Share with a friend if this helped you!
Applying in person?
Who are you kidding?
I tried submitting a resume + cover letter to a biopharma place which I lived only a couple of blocks from in Miami. I was greeted by some beefy security guards who handed me a business card saying that the company only accepted applications through the Internet.
Who do you know who will take job applications by hand unless they are part of someone’s professional network? I just returned to the United States after 20 years abroad, and I have no network at all–my PhD adviser seems to communicate only through email and almost seems allergic to face-to-face meetings (he was never like that years ago!). There’s no such thing as a handshake any longer. Soon the only way males and females will get together is strictly by cyber-ing.
I think it’s all pathological and we’ll eventually learn that it truly is pathological. But right now, people are cocooning themselves, and the outcome will be bad.
Thank you for your comment! You are correct – our society is indeed shifting towards one that discourages in person applications. However plenty of non professional jobs( restaurants, grocery stores, pet stores ect) are still more than happy to accept a walk in application.
It is done this way to mitigate even the slightest chance that they may somehow feel some need to behave either humanely; or, simply appropriately: so long as they have no actual “human being” to deal with they can continue acting like autocratic dilitants.
It has become the case wherein they hold “all the cards” and the poor “huddled masses” will acquiesce to almost anything in order to even reach having the “appearance” of making some kind of progress on these fronts.
I read and have read nearly everything I can get my hands on regarding breaking back into the ranks of the gainfully employed; yet each resulted in the same manner; either “Thanks but no thanks:” or more often than not, simple silence. Being ignored has become far worse than being rejected. At least when one receives a rejection notice of some sort; you realize that someone actually reviewed the materials that you submitted.
It ain’t what you know its whom you know; what do you think networking is all about?.
Wow Keith you don’t hold these potential employers in very high regard do you?
Its reasonable to assume that since they are the ones offering the possibility of employment and you’re the one looking for the job, they must have something going for them which has eluded you.
Oops did i step on toes? I hope so
Its convenient to point out someone’s impersonal attitude when trying to appear superior but again; keep in mind, the impersonal employer has the candy and you don’t.
If you are feeling resentment toward these inhuman attitudes it will be impossible for you to keep that a secret while job hunting and you are destined to be either un or under employed.
Cultivating gratitude and joy as you seek employment is a surefire way to succeed or you can continue the pitiful negitivity and reap the enevitable poverty of spirit