| Ten
Tips for Conducting a Job Search
by Alvah Parker
1. Plan a daily schedule - Have specific hours
during the day that you are at your desk working
on finding a new job. Be sure to leave time for
exercise and being with friends. Keep your schedule
similar to the one you had when you were at work.
2. Set aside enough time to do the job search
well - Be realistic about the time you need to
do these tasks. If you do not allot enough time
you will be careless about the job applications.
3. Treat your job search as a business - You
are a sale executive in your business selling
a product and the product is you. As with any
product, you have to have a lot of prospects before
you make one sale. Have lots of balls in the air.
Ask any sales person about his/her sales funnel.
4. Be a good record keeper - Keep track of the
jobs you have applied for and where and with whom
you have had interviews. Follow up will be easier
if you have the information all in one place.
Keep notes on phone conversations and interviews.
5. Have other meaningful work - Do some volunteer
work or contract work. It gives you something
to talk about when you interview and makes you
feel productive and useful.
6. Stay positive - Do what it takes to keep happy
and optimistic. No one wants to hire someone who
is angry or sad. This may mean splurging on dessert,
letting go of the anger you feel about the job
you lost, buying a new outfit, and/or taking the
weekend off. Denial or holding a grudge will not
make you happy. Do not put your life on hold.
7. Find a partner to work with - A job search
can be very isolating. Find a friend or a coach
to talk to you regularly. Tell him/her what is
happening in your search. Brainstorm and strategize
with your friend or coach. Rehearse with the person
when you have an interview or when you are going
to make an important call.
8. Work to objectives - Set realistic goals (number
of networking contacts, number of interviews etc.)
that you are able to accomplish and then feel
good about.
9. Strengthen your confidence - Do whatever it
takes to make you feel confident and happy during
your job search. This may mean part time work
or being with people who recognize you as the
capable person you are. You must exude confidence
and energy to be hirable.
10. Join a group for group support - Exchanging
ideas with others is helpful. A job opportunity
that is not right for one member of the group
may be right for you. You might look to the group
for social activities too. If there is no existing
group in your area, how about starting one.
Alvah Parker is a Work/Life Coach with SPE CareerSolutions,
specializing in high potential, career focused
people who are in career transition, looking to
start a new business, or boost their overall performance.
You can reach SPE CareerSolutions at +1 877-262-2470
or online at
www.4careersolutions.org
Copyright © Parker Associates 2002 all rights
reserved.
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