(This article is reprinted with the permission of
www.ExecSearches.com, for whom it was
originally written.)
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In the crowded field of perennial New Year’s
resolutions – lose weight, stop smoking, 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. 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.
Gentlemen, Start your Networking
Engines
Start talking to everyone you know, or to as
many people as 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.
No week should be complete without coffee,
drinks, a meal, 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.
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.
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.
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. 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. 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 for you too.
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; as 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.
Laura Gassner Otting is founder and president of
Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group, a niche consulting firm dedicated to
strengthening the capacity of nonprofits and their staff, and is available to
discuss individual resumes, cover letters, and job search strategies.
Increasing the
capacity of nonprofits and their staff.
