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Introduction to Job Searching, Part 1 |
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You want a jobnot just any job, but a. great one. And you want to find it as quickly and as painlessly as possible. You've tried your own methods of job searching, but seeing as you're reading this article, you're probably not very happy with the results. You're ready to learn better ways to achieve your career and job search goals.
Ready to learn which activities will produce better results in your job search? Read on to find out more about what studies of job searching reveal, as well as the real-life results of thousands of job searchers.
Why It's Worth Doing
In your life, you've most likely heard someone say, "Why should I change? I've always done it this way." And that's fine...as long as what that person does is "working! But for many people (and if you're reading this guide, you're most likely one of them), the job search methods they've always used just aren't getting them the results they want. If this describes you, you're faced with a choice: Do you keep doing the same things, over and over, hoping for a different result...or do you try some new approaches?
It can be easier to convince yourself to try something new |
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How to Choose the Job, Part 1 |
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How would it feel to know that 20, 100, or even more companies are a great match for your talents and experience and that with just a little bit of research, you could identify these companies and begin to connect with them to uncover great job opportunities? If this sounds good to you, read on to find out how to locate and learn about a wealth of potential employers just right for your career goals.
In my work, I've had thousands of conversations similar to this one:
Job Searcher: "There are just no jobs out there that fit my interests and skills. It's very discouraging."
Me: "How have you been job searching?"
Job Searcher: "I watch the newspaper ads, of course. And there are a number of Internet job sites that I check regularly."
Me: "Do you have a target list of 20-100 employers that would be likely to hire someone with your background, and who you'd be interested in working for?"
Job Searcher: "Weeeeeelll, I have a list of places where I've sent my resume. Is that the same thing?"
Me: "Not exactly. Creating a target list would most likely be an effective, confidence-building activity for you. It would help you find many more opportunities |
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How to Choose the Job, Part 3 |
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Develop Lists of Potential Employers
Since you've already chosen your sorting criteria, this next step should be easy-sneezy. Now it's time for you to develop a list of specific employers that fall within the categories you've selected. As you do so, keep in mind that it's wise to list small- and medium-sized employers, as well as larger, more well-known companies. Why? Because most of us about 75 percent, in factwork for organizations with fewer than 25 employees, so it makes sense to factor in some smaller companies. Following are some resources to help you build your target list.
Yellow Pages: Yes, the good ole Yellow Pages. You can make use of either the hardcopy or Internet version; however, an Internet Yellow Pages directory offers some real advantages. Often, these sites will automatically suggest other categories for you to consider (such as, if you picked "Jewelry," they might also suggest "Accessories" or "Antiques"). And these sites will often provide links to company Web pages, making it easy for you to gather additional information about an organization.
Directories: Several useful directories and registers exist to help you in compiling your list of target companies. Many are free or are very moderately priced. Your city |
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How to Choose the Job, Part 2 |
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I am searching for a position where I will potentially serve in these roles:
1) Event Coordinator 2) Account Manager 3) Customer Service Specialist
...potentially in these industries:
1) Hotels and Resorts 2) Event Supply Centers 3) Nonprofit Agencies
Paying attention to the industries portion of your job search focus, you'll now want to define these fields a bit more to help you develop a solid, productive list of target employers.
Let's take Hotels and Resorts, for example. Which segments of this category are most interesting to you? Take a minute to consider what you'd truly hope for in terms of the nature of work and environments you'd like to be connected to. Do you have more of an interest in bed and breakfasts? Spas? Large, posh hotels? Which specific areas best fit your interests? It might help to flip through the appropriate categories in your Yellow Pages directory for ideas.
When you've finished defining your industry categories in more detail, your list might look something like this:
Hotels and Resorts: Bed and Breakfasts, Retreat Centers, Inns
Event Supply Centers: Caterers, Party Rental Centers
Nonprofit Agencies: Children's Services, Housing Support, Arts
Are you thinking, "I really don't care which industry I work for. I just want a job!" Or, "My |
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How to Choose the Job, Part 4 |
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Compile Powerful Profiles of Your Target Companies
Wow...now you're really on your way. You've selected a job search focus, and begun building your list of target companies. As a final step in this process, you'll collect important details about each of your target organizations to help launch your search successfully. For the companies on your list, aim to gather the following information:
Organization name
Address
Phone, e-mail
Summary of the organization's purpose, mission, products, and services
Details about the business's customers
Key decision makers in the company, particularly those related to your specialty (such as the Director of Sales, if you're seeking a position as a sales representative)
Bonus Information Recent announcements provided on the company's Web page, or through news sources, such as newspapers
Are you feeling overwhelmed with the amount of information you'll need to gather? I don't blame you! You're not the first job searcher to feel this way. In fact, most job searchers quit at this point. It takes discipline to pull together all of these details, and most people just aren't willing to do it. Plus you might be asking yourself, "Is it really worth it?" Here's the scoop: Each piece of information you collect is one more brick in the foundation of |
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