How to Conduct a Job Search
Do you need a job?
Do you want to find a job?
Do you have no idea how to find a job?
Does this sound like you?
If so, boy are you in luck! I am going to show you the best way to search for jobs. It doesn't matter if it's your first time or if it's been awhile, I'm here to help. First things first: get out there and start looking. You never know what might be waiting for you just around the corner. Second: don't be afraid of rejection. It's a fact of life, and you can't live your life without it. I can't either. Third: don't be intimidated by the process if it's new to you. It may seem like a daunting task, but with the right attitude and some patience, you will find the job of your dreams. So let's get started!
S T A R T E D I N C O M F O R T A G E S
As mentioned above, this is not my first time at the job search rodeo. I know what it takes to succeed, and I'm going to show you exactly how to do just that in this article. In order to do that, I will be giving you a step by step rundown of the entire process. I'm going to get you from A-Z and show you exactly how to do a job search so that you can be prepared for anything that might come your way.
First things first: have a mentor. This could be anyone who has been in a similar situation as you and has demonstrated success in job searching. It could be your best friend, or it could even be me (I'll get more into that later). This person is going to tell you what they did before they achieved some level of success with their job search. It can be as simple as "I applied to every job in my entire address book," or "I went to career fairs at colleges three hours away that I was never going to get into." It may seem like a small thing, but it will help immensely.
Second things second: make a resume. You may not need one if you are fresh out of college, but the good news is that you don't necessarily have to create an entire new resume if you already have experience. I'm going to show you what my resume looked like when I was fresh out of college and how I updated it over the years. As far as print, use 8-1/2 by 11. Yes, it's that important.
Third things third: make a list of the most important things you need to know in terms of job searching. Is it answering a helping skills question on a job application? Taking an assessment test? How do you feel about networking with others who already work in your field? All of these are different variables that come into play when doing a job search. It's very possible that one person could have a completely different experience than you. The more prepared you are, the better off you will be.
Fourth things fourth: do your homework! Carefully look over step three and make sure you have made a list of all the things that might come into play when doing your job search. It might seem counterintuitive to actually go out and do something before you prepare for it, but I don't want to see any of my readers take shortcuts in this process.
Fifth things fifth: start small! Don't try to go for the big fish first unless that's really what you want to do. Start small and work your way up. It's a lot easier to get rejection out of the way first than it is to get your hopes up in the air and then have them come crumbling back down.
Sixth things sixth: don't take anything personally! This may seem like a repeat of the previous step, but it's really more than that. I'm going to be doing my best to explain things from my perspective, which is going to be completely alien if this is brand new for you. Just remember that every job you do is done with a certain level of specific intent. When you get turned down, it's not because they hate you or anything like that (although I can see how one might think that). There are plenty of other people out there who are just as qualified for the position at hand.
Seventh things seventh: be persistent! Yes, it's going to take some work on your part to land the job. But don't be discouraged if it doesn't happen immediately. Take this step by step, and don't give up on a specific idea in your head until you have exhausted all possible means at your disposal. When you do, come check out my blog. You never know when I'll have a new post ready to go!
E T C O N T A R T S I N A G R E E
As I mentioned earlier, not everyone is going to be able to land the job they want right away. It's important to remember that when you're starting the job search, and whether you're fresh out of college or not. Here are some quick tips for getting your foot in the door with smaller companies:
- Attend local networking meetings and professional association meetings in your city where there might be similar jobs. Networking is a huge part of the job search process, and these meetings are the best way to get started. - Talk to your teachers at school or professors from college when they come back around for office hours or class reunions and ask them about their job search strategies. They will be able to give you ideas on which companies have open positions that would interest you. - Do your homework! This is something I don't want anyone to ever forget about when entering the job search process. While it may not seem like a big deal, being prepared ahead of time will put you ahead of the game in many ways. - Go out of your way to make new friends, especially if you're in a new city. Be open to meeting people and getting out of your comfort zone. - Don't be afraid to be yourself! It's easy to talk someone else's game, but that may not be what they want when they hire you. If you can't do something as well as someone else, that doesn't mean it's wrong!
W H A T I S T H E J O B S E A R C H I N F O ?
This is where I'm going to get into some more technical information about the job search process.
Conclusion : my advice is to take time to brainstorm about your own personal situation and think about what other people may have said. Are there any suggestions that you can take from them and apply them to your own life? It's a very individual thing, so don't be afraid to treat it as such. I wish you the best of luck in your job search!
Am I going to be able to find a job? - Yes. Can I do it without help? - Maybe with a lot of effort, but why go through all that effort when someone else can help you? Is this going to be the most stressful thing in my life? - Most likely, yes.