Where to Start?
Regardless if you’re switching careers, looking for another job while employed, or find yourself out of work you always start in the same place – you!
Good news – you know you fairly well.
Bad news – you need to get comfortable looking at yourself objectively (as if you were an outsider)
That starts with taking stock in yourself.
Take a Personal Career Inventory
Why do you take inventory?
Knowing what you have to work with (skills, experience, accomplishments) and what particular type of employment you’re trying to work towards (level, title, salary, location) can help you
- Set Goals.
- Keep a consistent message.
- Be ready when an opportunity comes along
- Build a system to track your job search.
LINK TO TEXT FILE FOR VISUAL IMPAIRED
“Plan your work and work your plan”
So you’ve gone through all the steps, now what do you do?
- Outline your commitment – set a goal for how many resumes you’ll send a week and how many jobs you’ll apply for.
- Get Organized – Create folders on your computer to save copies of each cover letter you send and to who. Have your resume, cover letter, and references in an easy to find location.
- Make a backup of your resume – if you ever edit it to change keywords, etc you’ll want to have a backup copy just in case.
- Set a reminder – set a reminder to log in each day and check for new job postings and apply. Finding a new job is full-time work, so the best way to increase your odds is to spend time daily working to find a job.
- Log your work – keep a journal or spreadsheet of where all you applied and what you do so you can refer to it later.
- Schedule your follow-ups – this is important when you’re following job openings that come from networking or direct connections. Don’t forget to follow up (just not so much that you become a pest)
- Create email rules – this is optional but helpful. Create folders and email rules to organize your incoming job alerts.
- Print your value proposition statement and keep it where you can see it – the more effort you put into memorizing it, the more focused you’ll be.
- Get the app – If you have a smartphone or tablet, consider installing the LinkedIn app and the app of any job board you use. You can access them easier that way when you’re away from your computer or laptop.
- Create an email draft with your resume attached – this allows you to quickly send it to anyone who requests it.
Frequently Asked Questions (aka When you need help)
What if I screw this up?
This is a common concern. This why career coaches exist! We help professionals get a handle on this difficult journey you’re about to undertake. Reach out to us and schedule an appointment to chat with us, you might find the investment
What if I don’t have a well written, modern resume?
You have two options- write one or partner with a resume writer.
For those who want to tackle this part of the project themselves, we have created an extensive learning-by-doing resume course with all the writing prompts that will step you through the process of getting one together. You can sign up for it (completely free) here: LINK
We are also happy to help you by doing the writing for you. Check out our pricing here:
What if I don’t have a LinkedIn account?
Go get one! We created an overview course to get you started- check it out here
“How long will this take?”
There are no guarantees of success or time that can be offered when you’re talking about a job search. You will put in a lot of effort to get your next job. You might think the days of easy jobs are over and you’d be right- but also it was never ‘easy’. Looking for work is a job in itself.
The person who gets you the job is you. Your effort wins the day.
The good news? Having plans, systems, and goals will take a lot of the haphazard guesswork out of the process.