5 Quick Steps to Get Your Job Search kicked Off

Searching for a job can be very stressful but just as any stressful situation there are things a person can do to relive some of the pressure. There are five quick steps that I think should be utilized when starting your job search, it will help keep you motivated.

Step 1: Get a notebook and a pencil! Start asking yourself what it is you want to do and what it is you’re good at! What would be your ideal position and what will you need to do to get there? This notebook should stay with you through your job search so you can write pros and cons for the companies you interview with also keep yourself organized.

Step 2: Inspect your resume! Keeping a resume updated is something that most people don’t worry about until they are searching for a job, update it during and after every position then all you will need to do is make any adjustments that apply to a certain position you’re interested in. Have friends and family read your resume and give you suggestions, always get a third party opinion. Keep your resume on a zip drive so it’s with you when ever you need it. Post your resume to job boards and contact your network of business professionals. Work with a recruiter!

Step 3: Act the part, Review job boards, talk with your network, and take advantage of social media, do what you can to get your name out there. Dress for success at every interview or meeting you have with any professionals, peers or not. Maintain a schedule and stick to it, if you’re not currently in the job market, slacking on your daily routine will make you lazy and less motivated.

Step 4: Do your research! Know the market; invest time in current events, and promoting yourself. The more you research and explore your options the more personal encouragement you will have and this will lead to the confidence employers are looking for. Educating yourself will only add to your value, be prepared and go for it!

Step 5: Don’t give up! Searching for a job is difficult, searching for a career is even harder, but you cannot give up in your search. I’m sure you’ve heard before that you should smile when you speak to someone on the phone, even though they can’t see you they can hear the enthusiasm in your voice and it’s hard to stay in a bad mood if you smile long enough. Every day is a new day and it deserves 100% so stick with it and follow these steps they will help keep you on your game!

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Comment by Christopher Poreda on March 27, 2011 at 12:12pm: Great post Jason...all valid points. I'd like to add to point #1...I have found that it's sometimes difficult for folks to evaluate what they want to do within the bounds of their skill sets...example, love to be an Indy Car driver...unfortunately, unqualified. To get folks through this I sometimes asked, within the bounds of their qualifications, what would they not want to do? What is left is what they might want to pursue.

Comment by Jason Monastra on March 27, 2011 at 2:21pm: I agree however I do not aggressively pursue that due to the limitations people place on their own ability. Let me clarify - I feel as if most people do not understand the idea of transferable skill sets, therefore asking them what they qualify for could place them in a box they do not need to be in. Starting with a strict set of parameters can make the search more difficult. It can be easier if we throw a larger but "reasonable" net and then begin to become more specific as the search progresses. Thoughts?

Comment by Sandra McCartt on March 27, 2011 at 6:58pm: I suggest to candidates that they think about things they like to do. Using Christopher's Indy Car Driver example, if they are into race cars and love them but they are an accountant or in sales, think about looking at companies who make rocker arms for race cars who might need an accountant or a sales rep. If you can count beans in a hospital you can count beans in race car parts mfg or if you have sold law books you can sell rocker arms. I think the transferable is sometimes industries rather than skills.

Many times i tell people who are open on relocation to focus on two or three places they would like to live then really dig into that market rather than going after a certain job in any location only to discover after they interview there they don't really want to live there. If you know where you are going even sort of, it seems to help in being able to make a transition to the jobs available in that area.

I think our job is partly to figure out where those skills, likes and dislikes can be transferred. A doc who is sick of practicing medicine is a very effective sales person in big ticket medical equipment. He gets in the door ten times as fast. A CPA with a tax background can sell tax publications easier to other CPA's than the best of the high powered salesfolks. A drilling engineer who has run a roughneck crew can manage an oil field tool mfg group very effectively and God knows a lady who has run a day care can manage a call center in a walk.

Comment by Jason Monastra on March 27, 2011 at 8:58pm: I really like your second position on location. That is a great idea because people that change their environment can really make a better career decision when they enjoy the location where they live. One thing that is interesting is the amount of people that still will not relocate. Even in an economy that is tough, people remain entrenched in their locations. On that side note, I believe people need to be more flexible.

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