New Year, New Job: Jump Start Your Job Search

by Erin O'Connor Jones, Director of Candidate Services

In the crowded field of perennial New Year’s resolutions – eat better, exercise more, get organized – one is almost guaranteed to find those four tiny but optimistic words: “Get a New Job.”  Unfortunately, like losing those last ten pounds or finally getting next year’s holiday cards out on time, the promise of a new job slowly fades from its original glory when the reality of the search proves too overwhelming (especially if you are trying to eat right, exercise more AND get organized at the same time).  So, instead of promising, in vain yet again, that you will get a new job by the end of January, resolve to jumpstart your job search with an actionable, executable, realistic step-by-step plan. 

Identify Your "People"

Everyone has a “person” and many of us even have “people.” Make a list and start talking to everyone you know, or to as many people with whom you can comfortably and securely disclose your job search secret. If a tree falls in a vacant forest, it might still make a sound. Likewise, if a candidate tells a nonexistent audience that he wants a new job, it too might make a sound. But it doesn’t matter because no one heard it. This task is simple – let your people know that you are looking for a new opportunity.

Don’t think you have people? Think again. Last year, more than 65 million people volunteered at some time and at some point for some cause. Most likely, you are sitting in a cubicle next to someone who cares about something that you might find of interest in your job search. Get yourself out there and start talking; your people are in your place of worship, your alumni club, your neighborhood association, a recent political campaign, or you friendly hiking/cooking/reading circle.

No week should be complete without coffee, drinks, a meal, an email or just a simple phone call with a knowledgeable and connected colleague. No conversation should be complete without the acquisition of three more names to call. Use informational interviews as another road to more fruitful networking. Start volunteering with organizations that interest you; selflessly, it’s a good thing to do, but it will also lead to more contacts within the field you have chosen. 

The Internet is Your Friend

Nearly every worthwhile job search web site has a free job announcement e-mail newsletter. Some offer advanced options of personalized announcements and all advertise different jobs. As is my theory on Christmas cookies (hence my new year’s resolution about those ten pounds), there is no need to limit yourself to just one; sign up for every newsletter and unsubscribe to those you don’t find helpful. Information is free, and the Internet provides countless nonprofit job sites and postings. Use this to your advantage, and search daily for new information, postings and contact.

Take advantage of the full power of the Internet by giving your resume its own private web address, another service offered by top job search sites. By presenting your resume on its own web page, you to show off your web savvy as well as your consideration of viruses and other nasty problems associated with simple e-mail attachments.

Join and subscribe to online networking groups and RSS feeds. These groups are active on many websites including FaceBook and Linked-In. Joining a job-seeking group or nonprofit professional online group will provide you another level of information and detail. This information cannot only help you identify new job opportunities, but also provide a forum to share information, tips, and ideas about job seeking.

Get Smart

If you haven’t already done so, flip back a few pages from the classifieds in the industry newspapers and start becoming a knowledgeable conversationalist on issues affecting the field. You don’t need to put together a 40-page dissertation on the long range effects of medical advancements on giving to disease-focused nonprofits to be able to ask intelligent questions, but you do have to know something. What if you aren’t interested or motivated? You should reconsider your chosen field and focus on something you about which you are deeply interested and feel real passion. (Do you like it? Or do you LOVE it?)

Start taking notes of the headhunters and search firms performing searches that interest you. Become their friends by helping them when you haven’t any stake in a particular search. What does this mean? When you receive an email asking if you know of potential candidate, spend more than two seconds thinking about it. They will remember you when you call back about a search that rings your bell.

Finally, don’t be afraid. The average American worker changes jobs 5-7 times in a career and the territory upon which you are now setting forth is anything but unchartered. There is a great deal of uncertainty in the current economy, but there are still jobs. And you should be prepared with knowledge, contacts, and an excellent resume when a job presents itself or you find something of interest. And of course, when rejection comes, and unlike taxes and death, it will come probably more than once, just remember that it’s not personal.
 

Quick Resume Checklist: Create different versions of your resume for the various types of positions that interest you, each highlighting the relevant skills and experience required. Skip the fluff. If the reader has to ask, "so what?" at the end of a bullet, it's not useful. Use action verbs and bulleted statements to communicate concrete results. Include sections for awards, community leadership, continuing education, and involvement in professional organizations near the end of the resume, as relevant. Proofread, proofread and proofread! Then, have someone else proofread, too. And then proofread it again. References and salary information should be given only if requested. Avoid acronyms, abbreviations or other lingo unless you are sending your resume to someone guaranteed to know how to decipher it. Skip the Objective. At best, it narrows your search perhaps too far; at worst, it rules you out of consideration for any other jobs within the organization or about which the hiring manager may learn. Make sure your resume stands out, but don't go so far as to use colored inks, odd formats or paper festooned with clouds. Don't give statistics on age, marital status or health. It's illegal for them to consider it, and just plain tacky.