The Unscary Job Hunt

Monsters and ghosts are scary.  The job hunt should not be. Planning your search for a job is perhaps the most important part to succeeding.  Oftentimes, this vital component is overlooked in the haste to post your online resume and respond to recruiting agents' and employers' listings and emails without properly customizing your resume and without sticking to your defined ideal job aspects. We all know the saying, "Haste makes waste."  There is so much truth in this statement and it bears emphasizing.  Let's breakdown the job hunt into easy, manageable tasks that will benefit you by cutting down on time and effort wasted.

• Define your ideal job.  Go ahead and list the important criteria for your next job.  But beware. Just like buying a house or finding the ideal relationship, it is nearly impossible to find a job that will satisfy 10 different aspects that you would like in your next job.  For instance, your "wishlist" may include a short commute time and a normal workweek of set hours as well as a host of other must-haves.  You will want to prioritize these criteria and create a "top 5" list as well as the 1-3 job aspects that you simply will not negotiate on, such as location.  This will serve to keep your job search organized and not have you spinning around applying to every job posting when you really would not want that job if you got it.
  
  
• Create your online job profile. Technology is wonderful because now, when you upload your resume into a company's online job site, their software will automatically fill in the application fields.  Most of the time, it requires only a little tweaking on your part to correct some fields or enter more information into fields, such as salary history and expectations as well as location preference.  Make the most of your online job profile by filling in all the fields completely and without abbreviating, as the database contains hundreds if not thousands of applicants and searches are often conducted by searching keywords from these very fields. 
  
  
• Peruse an online job site's tools. From salary guides to negotiation strategies to interview tips, one of the best partners in your job search is the use of these tools.
  
  
• Customize your resume. Let's go back to the second bullet point for a minute.  General job sites, like Monster, are wonderful sites for comprehensive job listings and tools.  The companies and recruiting agents that post listings on these sites may have you apply through their own website, however.  This is where your defined job criteria list comes in handy.  After you have selected a number of jobs that you would consider, it is time to thoroughly read those job descriptions and then customize your resume to that particular position.  This need not be tedious work if it is organized.  During a recession, you are understandably more flexible than during normal market conditions, and will therefore be applying to many more jobs out of your desired range. Applying this technique is equally important then to getting you a job in a tough market. 
  
  
• Organize your job hunt wardrobe. Have at least two interview-ready suits hanging in your closet with a protective layer over them.  Polished shoes and appropriate accessories are just as vital to your presentation.  Always be ready to interview at a moment's notice. 
  
  
• Meeting with recruiting agents. Develop a relationship with your agent(s).  They meet hundreds of applicants and in order to keep your resume on top of the heap of other resumes, keep in touch with your agent on a weekly basis.  When an agent contacts you about your online resume, they may or may not have a specific job listing to consider you for at the time. This is your opportunity to establish a relationship and maintain regular contact providing an updated resume from time to time should your skillset increase (by taking a class, for instance).  Treat a meeting with an agent like an interview, dress up!
  
  
• The art of communication. Always follow up with a thank you note (via email is fine) thanking the interviewer for his or her valuable time. This is like the post-cover letter where you get to emphasize a skillset that you might not have pinpointed on during the meeting with your agent or interview with a prospective employer. 

A job hunt is a job in itself.  Preparation and planning are necessary to an efficient and organized search.   Taking the time in the beginning of a job search to organize yourself will lead to less headache down the road.

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