Take Charge of Your Job Search: 12 Steps to Success

Job search

Despite what many people may say, a job search does not have to be an unpleasant experience. There are those people who choose to take charge of the job search process, who actually find the process to be very rewarding and stimulating. Conducting a job search is in many ways a self discovery process and an opportunity to put your true endurance and attitude skills to the test.

Job search success

Here is the secret to experiencing job search success:

Be Productive, Be Proactive, Be Positive, Be Persistent, and Be Polished. It is a very easy formula to follow: Do your homework on what you want to do and where you would ideally like to do it. Do more than you think is necessary before it needs to be done.

Maintain a positive attitude, it will make all the difference in the world. Don't give up too easily, good jobs go to those who “keep at it.” And throughout the entire job search process, be sure to look and act the part of a professional.

Steps to help you take charge of your job search:

1. Clarify Your Career Goals: When you know what you are looking for in a career, it is much easier to locate a job in that field. If you are not sure what you want to do with the rest of your life, see a career coach or counselor for assistance.

2. Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter: Invest in a resume and cover letter reference book to view examples of good resumes. Use the examples as a guide to create your own version. Think of your resume and cover letter as “self-marketing” tools. Then, have a few, qualified people review and critique your first few drafts. (Remember, these are works in progress that are never really finished, as you will be continually updating them).

3. Identify Potential Employers: Appropriate employer directories and resources are available for your use in the library or local university career center. Get familiar with books, magazines, and on-line reference materials in your career field and use them regularly. Only rely on the resources that help you to identify relevant employment contacts.

4. Establish a Network: Identify people in various organizations and companies who can give you insight into their employment needs. Identify faculty, acquaintances, friends, and relatives who can assist you in your job search. Become actively involved in professional organizations.

5. Research Potential Employers: Read literature about them, talk with people who know of their work, check them out on the internet. Gather as much information about the company as you can, so if you ever get an interview, you will already be prepared.

6. Practice Your Interviewing Skills: Make an appointment for a mock interview session with a qualified career counselor. If possible, video-tape yourself to see how you can improve your interviewing technique.

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