Take Charge of Your Job Search: 12 Steps to Success

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 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.

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.

7. Conduct an Informational Interview: Ask your contact(s) if they have a half hour to talk with you about their industry. Ask a lot of questions, listen up, and take notes. This is an ideal time to ask if there are any job opportunities within their company and/or people they may know that you should contact. Have a resume in hand, just in case they ask for it.

8. Follow Up with a Thank You Note: Immediately following the interview, send the person or persons you met with a thank you note to show your appreciation. For actual job interviews, follow up with a telephone call within an appropriate amount of time to find out the status of their decision. Show interest without being overly aggressive.

9. Get Organized: Place all of your job search materials in one binder, so that you can refer to the information easily and quickly. Make notes to yourself about the interview, something the person said you would like to remember, or other important information.

10. Develop the Skills and Qualities that Employers are Looking For: Desirable skills include: Good oral and written communication skills, initiative, honesty, reliability, the ability to work in a team, and resourcefulness. Equally important skills to have are appreciation of diversity and the technological know-how for access into your industry.

Qualities:

Character (someone who abides by morals and high ethics in all situations),

Confidence (someone who is comfortable leading and following, composed, and has healthy self esteem), and

Competence (someone who possesses the knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary to succeed in their career field).

11. Continue to Learn: Stay abreast of current trends in your field. Read, Read, Read. Attend workshops or lectures about your field of interest. Always be open to new information.

12. Repeat this Process: Repeat this process until you have secured your desired position.

Keep in mind that a full time job search may take anywhere from six months to a year to conduct, so be sure to start early. And remember that in the job search game, there are three kinds of people:

There are those who are destined to be successful.

There are those who are determined to be successful.

There are those who are neither destined or determined to be successful.

Which kind of job searcher are you? To be successful, take charge of the process and use the 5 P's. All it takes to land your ideal job is a lot of hard work, fore-thought, maintaining a positive mental attitude, having a high level of energy, and displaying professionalism.

About The Author

Michelle Casto is a Life Coach and Speaker who resides on North Padre Island. She is also the author of Get Smart! About Modern Career Development: A Personal Guide to Creating Your Life's Work. Contact her at (361) 949-0337, coach@getsmartseries.com, or visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com

---

5 Ways to Combat Job Burnout

Job burnout happens when the stress or prolonged frustration of... Read More

Are You Suited for Self-employment?

A recent poll conducted by Yahoo! Small Business showed that... Read More

What Do You Want From Life?

The tragedy for millions of people is that they never... Read More

Your Cover Letter MUST Ask This Question

Imagine receiving a letter from a salesman who wants to... Read More

Tips To Survive A Layoff

The following eight tips will help make sure that recover... Read More

The Perils Of Employment: Are You About To Be Let Go?

From the moment you are born and you take your... Read More

I Just Lost My Job: How Am I Going To Tell My Kids?

One of the responsibilities of a human resources professional is... Read More

Wake Up and Learn Something New

The US Government has just released last month's job creation... Read More

Career Change: From Suits & Sales to Boots & Rails

Peter Humleker had it made. As the general manager of... Read More

Nuts and Bolts of Effective Cover Letters

As a job seeker, you shouldn't overlook the importance of... Read More

Write Resume Keywords That Gets Your Application Read

As children we often used to read stories where magical... Read More

Tips for Terrific Telephone Interviews

Telephone interviews don't just happen; they are the result of... Read More

Be Prepared for the Unexpected

How long has it been since you last had to... Read More

Four Important Questions to Ask Your Interviewer; Do You Really Want to Work for This Person?

Many job seekers miss a golden opportunity when they are... Read More

3 Secrets to Landing a Home-Based Position

Landing a telecommute position isn't easy. Finding them in the... Read More

Ten Great Careers For Computer ?Geeks

The universal acceptance of computers into our daily lives, both... Read More

CDL Practice Test ? Offers Practice Tests To Prepare For The CDL Exam

As you take CDL practice test, you do become more... Read More

Thank-You Notes: An Integral Part of Your Career Design

There is one little practice that is vital to generating... Read More

Looking the Part

I don't know his name and he wasn't trying to... Read More

To All Managers: How Does ADD Affect Your Workplace?

Tent caterpillars create a cocoon for an entire colony. Within... Read More

The Career Athlete: What It Takes to Manage Your Career

Managing your career, just like managing your life, requires preparation... Read More

Are You Living Your Career Dreams?

Inherent within the human spirit is a desire for fulfillment,... Read More

How To Choose The Right Resume Format

After a thirty (30) second glance lots of resumes get... Read More

How To Become A Computer Consultant

Have you ever wanted to become a computer consultant, but... Read More

Job Interviews: Use the Personal Touch to Get a Job

A study conducted by the Journal of Consumer Research in... Read More

Five Biggest Resume Mistakes You Can Fix Yourself

A career consultant can diagnose and overhaul a troubled resume.... Read More

Fact or Opinion?

"You ain't going nowhere, son. You ought to go back... Read More

Feng Shui Your Desk for Career Success

Have you used feng shui around your desk? It's a... Read More

Job Hunting Tips: Staying Active

Unemployment is depressing: financial pressures stress you out, looking for... Read More

Your Interview Questions Are a Serious Matter

Of course interviews are mainly about you answering the questions... Read More

Interviewing Over Lunch: Are You at Risk?

Sometimes a hiring process will include having lunch with the... Read More

Create A Rappin? Resume

(Percussion sounds emanating from who knows where while you listen... Read More

Think About a Nursing Degree

If you decide to get a degree in nursing, there... Read More