I am honored to be part of Career Collective, a community of extremely talented resume writers and career coaches. Spring is just around the corner in some parts of the country. Clean up your job search by reading these experts suggestions on “Re-Tooling / Re-Focusing / Organizing Your Job Search“.
And, if you are on Twitter, please follow our hashtag: #careercollective.
I want to thank Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter (www.careertrend.net) and Miriam Salpeter (www.keppiecareers.com) for bringing this team of experts together.
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It is a bit too early to be using the word “Spring” in my neck of the woods, however, it is never too early to revamp your job search.
As an aside, I don’t ever vacuum or clean our house. Yes, I’ll do dishes and sweep up crumbs, but other than that, you really won’t see me doing any other significant cleaning. Thank goodness I have a husband who loves to clean. Well, maybe he doesn’t love it all that much, but realizes if he doesn’t do it, the house would be over-run with dinosaur sized dust balls. It just isn’t a priority of mine.
I confess this because job search is something most of us don’t like or want to do. We aren’t skilled in it and we certainly don’t have a passion for it. As a result, well, you’ve seen the result. Read on and find tips that will help you to develop useful skills that will increase your knowledge and ability to job search better!
Always take the time to assess what you want to do! Always.
If you haven’t done this yet, perhaps the one thing you can do is make sure that your goal is aligned with your current values, interests and developed skills.
Use the right tool for the job: LinkedIn.
Build your profile and figure out how to use this tool. It allows you to stay connected with your past coworkers, supervisors, clients and vendors (no matter where they go), it allows you to develop an online presence which you control, it allows you to connect with others in your field, AND you might just get found if you are using the right key words.
Polish a new resume for every job you apply for
A shiny resume that doesn’t explain why you are qualified for a specific job won’t capture the reader’s attention. Customize your cover letter AND resume for each job.
Scour the news not the job boards
Instead of focusing (obsessing) over the job boards, spend more time collecting leads from the news.
Disinfect your interview answers
Practice, practice, practice out loud your answers. Ask for honest feedback from people you respect.
Corral all your supplies
Have a designated work space, organize your electronic files by company, create and use a follow up system, use a calendar, keep track of passwords, in other words, be super organized.
Check out new products
Every day, technology improves systems and processes. Here are some neat tools you might want to investigate. I am currently using/playing with them all. Gist, Rapportive, WiseStamp, StartWire, BranchOut, about.me.
Whistle while you work
Keep a healthy and positive outlook (easier said than done, I know) but, frustration, anger, and depression all have a way of seeping into conversations.
Here is a list of supplies to check out to make your spring cleaning easier:
- Online Interest Profiler from O*Net
- LinkedIn Learning Center from LinkedIn
- Interview Questions to practice
- Industry News Letters from SmartBrief
- Online Tracking System from JibberJobber
What are you going to do to “spring clean” your job search?
Personal Branding to Fire Up Your Job Search, @DebraWheatman
Succeeding in a “Final Jeopardy!” World, @WalterAkana
5 Steps to Retool & Jumpstart Your Job Search, @erinkennedycprw
Your Job Search: Let’s Just Start Again Shall We? @GayleHoward
5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Job Search, @heatherhuhman
Ten Surefire Ways to Organize Your Job Search, @KatCareerGal
Put Spring Into Your Job Search, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland
Toes in the Water, @ValueIntoWords
How to Revitalize a Stale Job Search, @KCCareerCoach
How to re-think your job search, @Keppie_Careers
Wake Up and Smell the Flowers: Spring Cleaning Your Resume, @barbarasafani
Spring Cleaning and Your Personal Brand, @resumeservice
Spring clean your mind clutter first, @DawnBugni
Managing Your Career 2.0: On Giving Something Up To Get It Right, @Chandlee
More From careersherpa
- 5 Ways to Speed Up Your Job Search
- Career Change Isn’t An Exact Science
- What is Career Management Anyway?
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Fantastic article! I applaud the way you acknowledge that attitude is such a vital aspect. You can have the best resume in the world, have access to the most wonderful influential network of movers and shakers, but if you walk in that door with a defeatist attitude, round shoulders, sour demeanour and look like you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, then it’s going to be an instant turnoff. I’m not saying we should all get around robotically and maniacally happy with a false grin on our faces, but there should always be something to be glad about … even if it is as simply as being healthy enough to look for a job!
Hi Gayle,
So you’ve seen it too. The smell of defeat oozes out of every pore. Managing these emotions is vital, as you mentioned, and SO hard to do. Walter Akana recommends a breath of fresh air! I think that’s a great way of looking at “do stuff that makes you happy” and incorporate that into your life!
Thanks for the comment and have a super weekend!
Hi Hannah,
I’m so glad to know another wife who relies on her husband for the ‘significant house cleaning chores.’ Similarly, my hubby is avid about engaging with mops, Pine-Sol and the like!
Love your post! Such great metaphors between job search and spring cleaning! Especially, I like the ‘disinfect your interview answers’ – so vivid! SO many people think, “If I can just GET in front of a hiring decision maker I’ll wing the interview and win it,” only to be left disappointed and frail after realizing they SHOULD have practiced (practiced, practiced) to be smooth, conversational and strong during this integral job search event!
Cheers to you for another winning Career Collective post!
Jacqui
Jacqui:
What would we do without the men in our lives!
I really enjoy being part of Career Collective and the monthly interactions! Thanks so much for bringing us all together!
Hopefully Spring will be here soon.
Hello Hannah!
Excellent post. All your tips are right on. Loved the list of new products. Strategy + tools + execution = results.
And a little whistling can’t hurt.
Thank you!
Rosa
Many thanks Rosa!
So true! Tools without strategy and execution = FAIL
Whistle away!
I love your list of new tech tools – I will be checking out some of them! And I think everyone will appreciate your analogy of job searching and resumes to cleaning. While neither is always considered “fun,” they are both necessary and go smoother with the right tools and supplies. That’s where the Career Collective comes in!
Laurie,
I love technology…though determining which tools are best is a bit of a challenge. I think it is partially trial and error (not so much error but rather “no reaction”)
Career Collective certainly is a valuable resource!
Hi Hannah!
What a great post!
I gotta admit you have really done a nice job with the concept of spring cleaning your job search!
This is a terrific and powerful list of things to do that people either don’t think about, or allow themselves to become a bit sloppy in actually doing! I too love “disinfect your interview answers” as a critical spring-cleaning item. Those answers are an opportunity to share stories that will make you stand out and be more memorable.
Perhaps the only thing I’d add to your list is: Get out for some air. In other words, make time for networking. It’s energizing and can often lead to fresh perspectives!
Walter
YES! Absolutely agree, all those toxic emotions require a bit of fresh air!
You’re the best! Thanks for the add-on!
This was a stand-out piece. My compliments for ideas and execution.
May I suggest that your ‘consortium list’ consider listing the “best” first, based on some agreed upon consensus. Few on the list compare to this…..
A valuable list for any job search and great online tools listed in “checking out new products”.
Thank you Martin:
I love finding new tools and technology!