Hello, friends!
This week, we’ve discussed the importance of evaluating skills, touched on the different types of skills people have, identified the skills YOU have, and laid down a foundation of how to express your skills to potential employers; it’s time to pull all that together and form a job search plan.
You might be thinking “Hey, I don’t need to go through all this formality. I just need to hit the streets and look for work.”
That may be true, but think with me for a moment: if you know where you want to go, it would still be beneficial for you to have a map. A map can show you the best route for your purposes:
• The best route for sightseeing
• The best route to get straight there and avoid toll ways or traffic
• The shortest route, fastest route, etc.
In considering a job search plan, remember that just like any large or important project, most of our time is spent preparing. For example, when painting the inside room of any residence, we don’t simply start painting right away without any preparation. There may be furniture that needs to be moved or coverings that need to be made in order to avoid painting more than the walls. With a “plan,” we can greatly reduce the amount of time it takes to go “two steps backward.”
And I have good news! An effective job search plan does not need to be painstakingly detailed to be effective.
More good news! Along with your own job search plan, you also have tools at your disposal online (www.wrksolutions.com, www.workintexas.com, www.bls.gov, www.careeronestop.org), through books at the library, in speaking with experts and attending various workshops such as Workforce Solutions Skills Development Seminars.
So with all the available tools (free of charge I might add) and a little initiative, developing an effective job search plan can be accomplished easily.
Before we delve into planning an effective job search, the following are guidelines you might consider:
• Develop a plan with specific targets and timeframes
• Build a resume that attracts interest
• Prepare cover letters, thank you notes and follow-up letters
• Attend networking groups
• Know and practice answers to key interview questions
• Research organizations
• Learn and practice marketing your job skills
• Network
• Set short-term and long-term goals
• Believe in yourself!
Planning and managing your job search will ensure success. You can view previous blogs on the subject of job search organization at the following links: E Organized Job Search, More Electronic-Organized Job Search
Hopefully this series has helped you to not only understand why your skills are so important and the impact they can have on your job search, but to also take steps towards using these skills to develop a targeted job search plan.
See you at work!
David Spears is a member of the Workforce SolutionsNavigator team for the Texas Gulf Coast Region. Combining training and education to real world examples, David brings personal and professional experience with disabilities to the table in order to help job seekers with disabilities realize their potential. David has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration with over 20 years of experience in the business world.
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