50 Shades of Job Search Engagement

By Mary Salvino, Career Coach

As technology evolves, so do the methods job seekers use to nurture and/or remain focused on the task, i.e. getting a [new] job! Like everyone else, job seekers come in many shades.  Their levels of interest vary from those who are passive job seekers to those who are looking for a new career opportunity with a great deal of zeal and earnest.

These tips and hints will help those seeking a new career opportunity make their job search more effective with little or no extra effort:

1. Learning to use the proper tools will make the job of looking for a job easier
2. Planning the work and working the plan is critical
3. Celebrate victories no matter how small
4. Understanding that every ‘No” is one step closer to, “Yes”
5. Consistency and persistence counts
6. Looking for a new job IS A JOB and should be treated that way
7. It’s okay to put yourself first
8. Find and use mentors
9. Find and communicate with others who are in a similar position on a regular basis
10. Know that the ‘shiny and new’ technology may not be as effective as the technology that is ‘tried and true’
11. Identify and record what works and what doesn’t
12. If something isn’t working, change it
13. Many pairs of eyes reviewing your documents are better than one when it comes to your marketing collateral
14. Customized résumés and cover letters are more effective than generic documents
15. Continuous learning is critical to success
16. Know and understand that who you are is infinitely more important than what you do for a living
17. Never underestimate the power of, “ Thank You”
18. Be ‘social’ both online and off line
19. Be prepared to work harder at finding a new job than actually having one
20. Know that working for yourself means working far more than a 40-hour workweek
21. Know that the time spent away from the computer screen is as important as the time spent in front of it
22. Use timers to remind yourself to take regular breaks
23. Pick healthy snacks to munch on and get plenty of exercise
24. Take the time to optimize your social media profiles
25. Set up and use an EASY way to track your job applications, interviews and follow-up notes
26. Follow-up on job applications
27. Personalize cover letters
28. Set up a separate e-mail account for job searching purposes
29. Ensure that your message service (answering machine) sounds professional
30. Ensure that your e-mail address sounds professional
31. Post your résumé everywhere and ensure that it is ‘searchable’
32. Modify your résumé on a regular basis so that the document will not be viewed as stale – These modifications can be as simple as changing the order of bullet points
33. Make life easy for potential employers and recruiters by adding hyperlinks to your e-mail address and social media profiles
34. Expect that ALL potential employers will do an Internet search for you before the consider calling you in for an interview – Clean up your social media profiles!
35. Carry business cards with you at all times
36. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have
37. De-clutter your surroundings
38. Create and use your own résumé templates that can be tweaked for each opportunity
39. Know that résumés need to be about what you can do for your next employer, not what they can do for you
40. Check e-mail only at predetermined times of the day, e.g. first thing in the morning, noon and before you finish your job searching for the day
41. Clean out your inbox on a daily basis
42. Stop answering the phone – If it is important, they will leave a message
43. Keep up to date on the latest trends in your industry by signing up for newsletters that can be sent directly to your inbox
44. Take very good care of those who have agreed to stand as a reference for you
45. Read the job posting and apply for the position in the manner specified by the ad
46. Take the time to spell out industry acronyms to avoid confusion
47. Read and respond thoughtfully to questions posed by your on-line professional community
48. Follow updates posted by potential employers on social media
49. Don’t waste time applying for jobs for which you are not qualified
50. NEVER LIE on your résumé

BONUS Tip:

BACK UP YOUR DATA!

When it comes to looking for new career opportunities, job seekers need to ask themselves only one question.  That question is, " Is what you are doing right now getting you closer to achieving your goal?"

Do you have any tips for those seeking new career opportunities?  The job seeking community would love to hear from you!

Copyright © 2012, Career Matters. All Rights Reserved. Permission to Reprint: This article may be reprinted, provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Copyright © 2012, Career Matters. Reprinted by permission of the author, Mary Salvino. “Career Matters” is a blog authored by Mary Salvino, Senior Consultant for SMART Career Planning.com that is dedicated to those who are seeking advice on managing their career and future job opportunities. We welcome readers to share their experiences, post their comments or ask questions about career related matters. This blog is also dedicated to those who stand a little taller each time they picked themselves up after failing and those who gained the wisdom and humility from those experiences to help others do the same. For any questions or comments that are better addressed privately, please feel free to e-mail Mary directly at Mary.Salvino@shaw.ca