When it comes to job searching methods, more is definitely more. More time, more contacts, more resumes, more resources, etc. are required to secure a position that best matches your skills, interests and needs. Most certainly, one size does not fit all when you’re job hunting, and it is important that you toss out a wide net to capture your desired outcome.
Here are a few tips to get and keep you on track:
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Expand your personal contacts: Many jobs are not advertised and are acquired, instead, through networking. Expand your personal contacts by joining professional organizations, business networking groups and community associations, and volunteer for a charity that might allow you to network with other professionals while serving. See page 13 for more tips on networking.
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Identify potential mentors: Recognize and contact individuals in your field or occupation of interest who have demonstrated success and seek their input and feedback in a non-threatening manner. Make it clear you are not making contact in order to a secure a position from any of those individuals, but instead that you are seeking a role model or adviser who may be in a position to offer objective input and direction. Be respectful of their time and availability.
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Harness the power of online resources. Social media outlets like Facebook, LinkedIn, Zoominfo and Ziggs.com allow you to post your professional profile, join groups relevant to your area of search or interests, connect with old friends and contacts based on the nature of your connection to them (school, where you live or lived, former employment settings, etc.) Sites like Workbloom or MSNCareers offer online advice, resume templates, job descriptions and open positions. Monster, Hotjobs, Yahoo! and CareerBuilder are just a few of many sites to which available jobs are posted and are widely used by employers of all sizes and industries. See the job search engine website and resources page for more sites.
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Target specific companies in which you have interest and those to which you are applying, even if in response to what otherwise seems to be a comprehensive help-wanted ad.
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Work through counseling or placement services offered by your college or university, no matter how long ago you may have graduated. Often they are able to serve an alumni population and, at the very least, can offer resources for developing resumes, networking and otherwise seeking leads.
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Private employment agencies remain a source of opportunity, but be wary of those charging fees or asking you to sign an agreement of exclusivity, or that otherwise actually may limit your exposure. Remember, too, that those charging employers fees may make you “unaffordable” to a prospective employer and their fees may influence your ultimate pay rate.
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Seek an internship or part-time position. While perhaps not fulfilling your ultimate professional goal, such opportunities offer you the proverbial foot-in-door exposure to the work environment; a chance to maintain or hone existing skills, develop new skills, interact with colleagues who may serve in a networking capacity, expose you to the competitors of your employer and opportunities within their organization; and can fill or reduce employment gaps. Be sure not to allow your part-time or intern work to inhibit your capacity to find your permanent placement, however. It is important you carve out time to focus on your ultimate goal.
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Tap into government job opportunities through usajobs.gov and through state and local government job placement services.
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Although many jobs are not advertised, classified ads remain a worthy opportunity to identify open positions and should not be ignored. Beyond newspapers, professional and trade journals often post classified help wanted ads and may allow for a more targeted job search. Recognize, however, that especially in a hard labor market, ads will draw volumes of resumes, certainly offering the employer the greatest leverage. It is critical your resume or application stands out and that you follow up on resumes sent and applications submitted. It is important you convey your ongoing interest in and enthusiasm about the position.
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Be clear about your target. As much as a haphazard, disorganized approach to job search is unproductive, failing to truly understand and be in a position to express your objectives will waste time and effort and lead to frustration for you, your contacts and prospects. Your resume and related application documents should leave no question about your skills, objectives and value to an employer. Ensure your contacts understand your skills and interests to maximize their efforts.
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Structure your day: Manage your job search as professionally as you manage your job. Establish a formal project plan to direct you and review and refine it periodically. Set daily, weekly and monthly goals and objectives. Be accountable to your things-to-do, diary your activities using a calendar to track your efforts and document your contacts and jobs for which you have applied.
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Act as your own boss, evaluating your performance as objectively as possible, and then change your approach as may be indicated.
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Keep up with your field: Staying on top of what’s new in your field can help you feel connected to the work world and prepares you for an interview where you could be asked about the latest news in your field.
- Follow up, follow up, follow up. Be persistent and keep your contacts fresh. Stay in the sights of your allies, prospects and employers with whom you have interviewed or otherwise directly inquired. Often timing is a key factor in job search success. Standing out as a candidate just when a need arises will place you in top contention. Be persistent, but not a pest, by tailoring your ongoing contacts to the nature of the work, the business and the interviewer, and follow his lead in terms of the best means of ongoing contact (phone, letter, email or other).