CAREER SEARCH 101
CAREER SEARCH 101
Optimize your career search with a positive attitude reinforced with deliberate, measurable activities focused on uncovering opportunities and exposing your unique skills, abilities and experience. Devote the similar time, energy and professionalism to your career search that you extended to your former position and employer. Network, network, then network some more!
Personal
Life has presented an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends, reassess priorities and reinvest in personal growth and development.
Anticipate and acknowledge the emotional and economic impact of unemployment on yourself and your family with a realistic self assessment focused on optimizing your career search while making the best of a difficult situation. Remain attentive to "family maintenance.".
Identify and actively engage your personal support system; family and friends, neighbors, colleagues, and your new friends and acquaintances at Career Connection. Your success and happiness is everyone's goal.
Develop a networking/contact list of everyone you know including: friends, family, former colleagues, your physician, dentist and all others.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes a nourishing diet, routine exercise and adequate sleep to be at your best.
Insure an appropriate wardrobe and routine grooming habits reflect a positive, professional image in networking environments and job interviews.
Set goals, establish targets; manage your energy, efforts and activities to measurable results within prescribed time-lines. Develop and monitor a self imposed discipline and accountability in all that you do.
Assess your financial resources and obligations; anticipate an extended period of unemployment, manage to a worse-case scenario.
Health insurance: Cobra
Unemployment benefits: HYPERLINK "http://www.twc.state.tx.us/" http://www.twc.state.tx.us/
Develop a reading list, volunteer your time and expertise, take a class, attend church services; feed the body, brain and soul, avoid negative influences. More than just suggestions, these are strong recommendations.
Focus on the success of others "Pay-It-Forward", you will be rewarded.
Tools for Success
Purchase or publish professional-grade business cards with pertinent contact information and career identity or designation. Keep it basic; resist the urge to express your artistic side.
Author a brief (one page) personal biography to share with your network.
Include relevant contact information
Cover the contents of your 30 second elevator speech;
I am.....
I do.....
I help....
I need.....
Develop your resume(s):
Resolve to be honest, accurate and complete in all search activities and communications, especially your resume.
Chronicle your career with specific examples of achievement that demonstrate and amplify your skills, abilities and experience.
Solicit peer review and feedback from others, many others. Measure the quality of your resume(s) against the number of interviews it produces.
Construct and submit a resume responding to the specific needs and requirements of the posted position.
Post and regularly refresh your resume each week on relevant job boards, e.g. Monster, Career Builder and Linkedin, etc.
Prepare a comprehensive reference list. Take this opportunity to network when confirming contact information and their willingness and availability to accept inquiries from potential employers; ask for a referral.
Draft cover letter(s) with content easily personalized and focused to the specific skills, abilities and experience requirements of the targeted position.
Outline prior success stories that demonstrate your skills, abilities and experience.
Situation or opportunity.
Action taken or strategy adopted.
Result in measurable terms of improved performance.
Prepare crisp, articulate responses to inevitable interview questions, i.e. why did you leave your last job, what is your minimum salary requirement, how would your prior supervisor, peers and customers describe you, what is your greatest weakness, what is your greatest strength, etc.?
Prepare pertinent questions demonstrating your interest in the specific opportunity and thoughtful and deliberate approach to your career search.
Purchase or publish professional grade letter-head stock and thank you cards.
Consider a personal web site if time, resources and technical ability permit.
Valuable Resources
Home Office
Office/Cell Phone (professional greeting)
Fax capability, availability
Computer access
Email Account(s) (professional address)
Contact manager (MS Outlook or similar)
Filing system
Library card
Books, periodicals, trade magazines
Calendar
Workshops / Networking Groups
Career Connection, Tuesdays 9:00 AM (information at CareerConnection.org)
CMG Career Management Group -Discipline, Location
MEG Mid-level Executive Group - By invitation
Career Transitions Workshops
Career Transition Workshop, Northwest Bible Church. John McDorman Monday Nights, 6:00 PM (information at HYPERLINK "mailto:
Crossroad Career Transition Workshop Crossroads Bible Church in Double Oak 3rd Friday of the Month (information at 972-355-3343, Sherry Alpert)
Professional Associations/Organizations
American Marketing Association
Association of Food Service Professionals
Construction Specification Institute
Metro chips
IEEE
Etc.
Professional Outplacement
DBM (Drake, Beam & Morin)
Wright Management
Civic Organizations
Chamber of Commerce
Rotary International
Other Associations & Memberships
Alumni Affiliation
Toastmasters
Happy Hour, Social Opportunities
Faith Based Organizations
The Job Search
Clearly define and articulate your career goals; construct a "mission statement" or "statement of purpose" easily communicated and transferable to and among your network and others.
Accountability
Keep a schedule; get out of bed, "seize the day."
Set goals with time-lines for personal, social and career search activities.
Attend, participate and actively contribute in career transition workshops and network meetings and activities.
Actively communicate with fellow career searchers; provide support and encouragement and recognition.
Develop a "Target List" by identifying then researching companies that closely match your industry, interests, background and expertise.
Trade publications.
Industry contacts.
Network contacts.
HYPERLINK "http://www.Google.com" www.Google.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.Highbeam.com" www.Highbeam.com
Make "cold calls" to targeted companies and relevant hiring managers discovered during your research and networking activities.
Be prepared with a brief script, a.k.a. elevator speech.
Be brief, be direct and ask for guidance, referral and next steps.
Follow-up with resume, email, and personal note.
Monitor the job boards.
Monster, Career Builder, etc. (see attached website lists)
Create targeted Search Agents
Adopt Boolean Logic to optimize search criteria.
Create auto job notifications.
Post your resume; update weekly at minimum.
Network, network, then network some more!
Career Connection
Career Transition
HYPERLINK "http://www.linkedin.com" www.linkedin.com
Popular Websites
HYPERLINK "http://www.monster.com" www.monster.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.careerbuilder.com" www.careerbuilder.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.6figures.com" www.6figures.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.directemployers.com" www.directemployers.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.4jobs.com" www.4jobs.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.hotjobs.com" www.hotjobs.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.salesladder.com" www.salesladder.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.brilliantpeople.com" www.brilliantpeople.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.execunet.com" www.execunet.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.quintcareers.com" www.quintcareers.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.idealist.org" www.idealist.org
HYPERLINK "http://www.bizjournals.com" www.bizjournals.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.franchise.org" www.franchise.org
HYPERLINK "http://www.flipdog.com" www.flipdog.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.dice.com" www.dice.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.jobsusa.com" www.jobsusa.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.jobstor.com" www.jobstor.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.careerconnection.org" www.careerconnection.org
HYPERLINK "http://www.highbeam.com" www.highbeam.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.google.com" www.google.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.worksourcejobnet.com" www.worksourcejobnet.com
HYPERLINK "http://www.linkedin.com" www.linkedin.com
FILENAME CareerSearch101[1] DATE \@ "M/d/yy" 7/13/05