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Planning Your Job
Search
by Stefanie Spikell,
The William Shakespeare of Resume Writing/Career Coaching
Today's job market is a dog
eat dog environment. You are competing against global
candidates, ever younger, ever more technologically competent,
ever more willing to work for less. How you approach your job
search is key to your success.
Here are the things you need to determine before you begin your
job search:
1. What do you value in the work place? What do your ethics
demand in the way of performance? What is your philosophy of
working? Are you a 9-5 kind of person? If so, maybe the more
structured government work routine is to your liking, then. Do
you work at all kinds of odd hours, well into the night? Then
maybe freelance work or self-directed sales is for you.
2. Make a long list of all the companies you think you might
like to work for - do your research first and find out what
their style is, what they are looking for, how they operate.
Don't eliminate any company just because you are not sure you
qualify. If the company appeals to you, put it down on your
list.
3. Discover who the hiring manager is - by name. If you can't
direct your inquiry to that person, directly, you will have much
less of a chance of success in getting the job.
4. Put down the names of everyone you know who might be able to
introduce you to a hiring manager. Don't be afraid to ask for
this help - people love to feel like they are "in the know" and
will be happy to pass your name along. And if they can't give
you a referral, they might have a good tip for you.
5. Always have your resume prepared by a professional so that it
stands out from the pack, emphasizing your results and
accomplishments. Never leave home without it!
Once you start implementing your strategy, you will be amazed at
how many people you know who can help you. Don't let up for even
one day, because marketing yourself is a full time job until you
get the job of your choice.
Stefanie Spikell, owner of two
companies,
Expert Resumes and
Clear Communications Business Consulting
(www.expertresumewriter.com),
is a noted business/careers coach, management consultant and
resume writer. In her 20-year career, she has managed marketing
communications departments for major engineering firms, taught
at the university level, published hundreds of business-related
reports and articles, and written thousands of winning resumes.
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