How to Kick Start Your Job Search

Friend: “Bob, not everyone knows what they want to do with their career.”
Me: “Then they will never find a job.”

Here are a few tips on how to kick start your job search:

1. Do some soul searching

• Go to a coffee shop, put on headphones, and write
• Make a list of what you like to do and don’t like to do
• Draw charts and graphs
• Play around with some numbers
• Make a list of “I would be miserable if I did _______”
• Make a pros and cons list
• Determine potential work locations (in state vs. out-of-state)
• Develop a personal SWOT analysis
• Do you want to do B2B? B2C? C2C?

2. Google “Job Openings”

• Write down 6-7 positions you could see yourself in
• Find out who is hiring in your parameters based on your degree, experience, etc.
• Diversify the websites you use to find job openings and bookmark them
• Try http://www.simplyhired.com/ or http://www.indeed.com/ on top of the other usual ones

3. Create an Action Plan and Set Goals

• Stick to the plan and your goals
• Show them to people and get advice
• State them publically on a blog or Twitter
• Track your results in Microsoft Excel

4. Write down who you know

• Start with family and friends
• Dig into your LinkedIn Network - if you're not on LinkedIn it is free to sign up
• Think about who you could sit down with for a coffee or a quick phone conversation on potential careers for advice

5. Use LinkedIn all the time

• Join Groups
• Update your profile regularly
• Search the job functions on LinkedIn
• Build your network
• Connect with recruitiers

6. Analyze potential companies

• big vs. small
• financial health
• reputation
• competitors
• benefits
• pay
• career development
• training

7. Ask around

• This is a polite way of saying network like crazy
• Change the “do you know of anyone hiring?’ question to “Steve, I’m really excited about finding a position as a Graphic Designer in California, do you know anyone in that field? I’d love to pick their brain on their experience in this position.”
• Follow up on any referrals people give you.

*Disclaimer – always follow up on these requests. Maybe you’re out at a bar or party and you meet someone who mentions they have a friend of a friend in X role at Y company. People always feel weird introducing you to other people; especially if they don’t know you that well. Make them confident and comfortable setting this up.

8. Customize your resume to match the job requirements

• At a minimum, change your objective
• It is OK to have different versions of your resume for different positions

9. Find out who the hiring manager is 

• Call into the HR Department at the company and ask
• Find them on LinkedIn (their email is first.last@companyname.com, first_last@companyname.com, or firstinitiallast@companyname.com)
• Ask someone in your network for an introduction (if they know the manager or someone at the company)
• Send an email introducing yourself and ask for time to learn more about the position (aka an interview)
• Email and follow up with a phone call (be persistent, but not annoying; try a new contact after two attempts). Keep in mind people are busy.
• If you can't find the hiring manager then ask for referrals to the right person
• Remember your goal is to schedule a “First Interview” (either in person or over the phone)

10. Rinse and Repeat

Focus in your Job Search

"I noticed on your resume you have experience in a bunch of different fields, you ran your own business, been in real estate, product marketing, and have spent time in sales. What makes you want to go into this position we have open?”

"To be honest, I am flexible. If you have a position in a different area like Finance, Marketing, Sales Operations, or Customer Service, I would be interested in that too."

STOP RIGHT THERE.

Guess what... your future employer doesn't care.

When a company has an open position (especially in sales), they are looking for the best candidate for that role. Many of the interview questions are generally focused around figuring out if this is the position you really want, you will be happy with, and will stick with it when things don’t go exactly according to plan. If you can't convey the focus in your job search, you will have a long road ahead of you.

It is perfectly OK and normal to want to do other things. You should have confidence in your ability, be incredibly optimistic, and dream big. However, if you want this position, you need to convey that this is the job you want and you want it now. Focus.

A typical interview question that usually makes people feel uneasy is, “where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?” You are probably thinking I want to get my MBA, start my own business, take the job of the person interviewing you, or maybe even if I’m still working here I will be absolutely miserable.

The decision maker and stakeholders in an interview process have social, political, personal, and career liability on the decision of hiring you. If you leave the company, that affects them. How are you going to mitigate their concern?

The best answer is to frame your response in their terms. The employer is looking for confidence that you want this position and see potential to grow organically with the company.

I’m not telling you to lie in an interview, just to be more prepared and focused then your competition (understand you aren’t the only candidate interviewing either). The last thing you want is to leave an interviewer with any uncertainty that you really want this job.

Two quick tips…

1. Never go on a job interview you don’t plan to nail
2. If you think the open position is a stretch for you; imagine what the interviewer is thinking before you walk into the room (I hope you are prepared to prove them wrong)

A great book to help you with preparation and focus is Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success. This book outlines how to build a career and personal brand; which is a large part of building focus in your job search.