Being unemployed is a stressful, worrisome and daunting situation. The more organized and focused your job search, the quicker and easier you will be successful in your quest. For many people, the task of organizing a job search is the hardest part. When we become unemployed we tend to go into “action” mode. We react and we perform the actions of job-hunting, but we may not be doing it in an efficient manner. “What should I do when I grow up?” is a common question asked by people of all ages. If this is a question you ask yourself or even if you are looking for a job in the same field, these steps can help you get organized and more focused.
Step #1 – Assess yourself and develop a focus
I hear from people all the time that really don’t know what they want to do. When you are heading in ten different directions it will be extremely difficult to achieve results. Ask yourself: What do I really enjoy doing? What work activities bring me the most fulfillment? What tasks do I do first when given the choice?
You may want to work with someone who offers career or skills assessments that can help you determine which direction to go. There is nothing wrong with focusing a job hunt in two different directions. However, the two different career focuses should have different résumés, different cover letters and different interview preparation. When your search lacks focus, your résumé is not targeted to the job or the company and your skills and experience don’t appear as relevant. This may prevent the hiring manager from calling you for and interview and will be a deterrent to getting the job.
Step #2 – Identify your skills
Once you have decided what direction you want to take your career, the next step is to determine your transferable skills. As we move throughout our career we develop skills that we can transfer from job to job. Use a web-site such as online.onetcenter.org to identify the skills you have developed in your previous career and research the skills you need in your new career.
In the job hunting process, you become the marketing agency for yourself. Your résumé is a sales brochure and the interview is the sales pitch. The more knowledge you have of your “product” – yourself – the more effective your sales pitch. Why should someone hire you? In other words, think about the benefits an employer would receive if they were to hire you. Do you have experience? Are you reliable? Do you have a positive attitude? Start thinking like a salesperson, talk about your features – your skills – but sell your benefits. Always remember, your résumé should only contain relevant information to the job you are targeting. Irrelevant information just gets in the way of the relevant stuff.
Step #3 – Identify potential employers and job
openings
Once you have identified what you want to do and what your transferable skills are, the next step is to research the best companies to whom you can target your search. The library has a publication from the Business Journal called the Book of Lists. This publication will identify some of the top companies by industry in the Phoenix area. You can also check out www.workforce.az.gov. This website offers an employer locator broken down by county in the state. Once you identify a target company, use the internet and the newspaper to see if they are hiring and apply to open positions. If they do not have any posted openings, stop by the company in person with your résumé and cover letter in hand, dressed very professionally of course, and ask to speak to the person in charge of hiring. If nothing more, it will get your foot in the door and your résumé in front of them for future opportunities.
Step #4 – Develop and effective résumé
This could be the most common mistake among job hunters. As I stated earlier, your résumé is your marketing brochure. If your résumé is doing a poor job of selling you, it is no wonder that no one is calling. Your résumé should answer these employer questions: If I hire this person, what benefits will I receive? What can this person do for my company? Does this person have the skills I need to do the job? A résumé will not get you a job, its only purpose is to get you an interview, but a bad résumé will prevent you from even being considered for the position in the first place.
Ensure your résumé is marketing you as the right person for the company and the job. This means the résumé may need to change slightly each time you apply for a job.
Step #5 – Network, network, network
Get out there and talk to people. Networking is nothing more than talking to people to let them know what you do really well and what you are looking for. Develop a 30 second “commercial” about your skills, abilities, accomplishments and the kind of job you are looking for. Start slow and network with your family and friends. Chances are they do not know what you do really well. Once you get comfortable, start to network with just about everyone. I know people who have gotten interviews from telling their “commercial” at a baby shower, at the bank and in a class. You never know who you may meet in a given day, but they won’t know how they can help you if you don’t ask.
Step #6 – Prepare for the interview
A great résumé can get you the interview, but if nerves get the better of you and you fall apart in the interview, you probably will not get the job. The more you prepare yourself for the interview, the calmer you will feel when the day comes. You really have nothing to lose in an interview; you don’t have the job when you walk in so you can’t lose what you don’t have. Give the company an opportunity to get to know who you are and what you can do for them.
You may not get every job you interview for, few people ever do. If you go into the interview with a clear picture of the benefits you have to offer a company, speak positively and enthusiastically about your skills and have calm and confident body language, you eventually will be successful. Practice what you are going to say and be ready to answer questions such as: Tell me about yourself? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? and Why should I hire you? If you have identified your transferable skills and the benefits you offer a company, then you already have the answers to these questions.
Step #7 – Follow-up with all contacts
Very few people take advantage of this last step. Hiring managers want to hire the people who want to work for them. If you demonstrate follow-up and initiative by contacting the employer, you will set yourself apart. Be warned, there is a fine line between follow-up and pestering.
About a week after you send your résumé, call to see if they have received your résumé and express your enthusiasm about setting a time to meet in person. Within 24 hours of your interview, send a hand-signed thank-you note to the interviewer thanking them for their time and confirming your interest in the position. At the end of the interview ask when they will be making their decision. If you have not heard from them by the date stated, call to follow up and inquire as to whether or not they made a decision. Whenever you call, try to speak to a live body. A voicemail is easy to ignore and multiple voicemails can be a bother. You may need to call at different times of the day to try and catch the person at their desk.
Use this step-by-step process to get your job search organized and focused and you will be surprised at how much more successful you will be. You don’t need to work harder, you just need to work smarter! If you need assistance at any step along the way in this process, give us a call. At Get Results Career Services we specialize in helping people transform their résumé into a marketing tool that will get them the results they desire – more interviews GUARANTEED! We offer a fast turnaround time and very affordable rates. To get a free assessment of your needs and discuss pricing for your résumé, please contact:
Lori Norris
Get Results Career Services, LLC
623.935.1525
Visit us on the internet: www.getresultsresumes.com
E-mail: lori@getresultsresumes.com |
