Modern Day Job Search -- Part 2 -- Follow the Rule of 5+5+5

In our last blog post I talked about how important it is to have the right tools to embark and complete the journey of a job search.  In this blog post I will talk about how important it is to have a road maps as well in this modern day process.

People will often become overwhelmed with all of the options that they have in modern job searching, particularly if they are looking on the Internet.  Where should they start?  Indeed.com?  Monster.com?  What about individual company or agency websites?

This is where the rule of 5+5+5 comes in.  Take a minute to stop and think -- what the five greatest organizations or companies that you dream of working for?  Make a list of those five, and title them the Most Desired List.  Now take a closer look -- are there any that don’t realistically deserve a coveted spot on your Most Desired List?  For example -- if you would love to work for Google, but don’t really see yourself leaving the area and moving to California, then take them off the list.  These five should be your dream locations but they should be reasonably attainable as well.  Even though you don’t have to write down why they are on your Most Desired List, you should be able to articulate that.

The second list that you will create is the top five Job Websites.  These are the aggregated websites like Indeed, Monster or Idealist, if you are in the nonprofit industry.  You may see many of the same jobs across these different platforms because employers may list a position on multiple sites.  However, it is important to know five really well and be sure to be able to navigate them.  These are the five where you should fully complete the profile and list your resume, cover letter, and interests.  In addition, brainstorm five to 10 “job titles” that you will regularly search for.  Not sure what I mean?  In nonprofits we often hire as entry level a position called “Intake Worker.”  Some agencies might call it an “Intake Specialist,” and some may call it an “Intake Assistant” or “Intake Associate.”  Another common entry level position in nonprofit has to do with Outreach.  This may be titled as “Outreach worker,” “Outreach Specialist,” or “Outreach Assistant,” or even “Outreach Coordinator.”  It is sometimes helpful to poke around an organization or company’s website to see what are common titles they may currently be using.

The third list you will create is the top five Stable Employment Locations.  These are the pillars of employment in your community -- the utility companies (natural gas, electric, water company, cable company, etc.), the hospitals, the colleges, universities, school systems, municipal governments, county, state and federal governments.  You need to pick only five that you would take a job with if it were offered tomorrow, and put them on your list.  Be sure to keep it relevant to the type of career that you are looking for -- if you are a nurse, there may be limited opportunities at a utility company, but many more at a school district, hospital or county nursing home.

Once you have your 15 top search locations, write them down or better yet type them into a document that you can open again and again.  Also be sure to put in your brainstormed list of potential job titles.  Now, do your research.  Most of these companies or agencies will have job opportunities listed, even though they may be under the heading “Career,” “Employment Opportunities,” or “Jobs.”  However they are listed, but sure to copy that URL or web address and paste it under or next to the location in your working document.  At the very least, bookmark it.  These are important sites to have.  Being able to click on a link and go right to the job listings will save you time and energy -- and if you search them every day, Monday through Friday, you will also be learning a lot of vital information about the company and their pattern to posting jobs.

We often say that finding a job should be treated like having a job.  What does that mean?  That in order to get a job, you should treat your job search like a job in itself -- decide on your working hours, breaks and what days you will be working, and then follow those guidelines.  At a minimum, these sites should be checked 3-5 times per week.  With a total of 15 sites to look at, that will break down to a minimum of 3 per day.  Some successful job seekers look at all of their top 15 sites daily.

When job searching, remember the rule of 5+5+5 -- Top 5 Most Desired Locations to Work, Top 5 Job Websites and Top 5 Stable Employment Locations.  Not to mention a list of 5-10 job titles you regularly seek.

Modern Day Job Search -- Part 1 -- Do You Have the Right Tools?

"If the only tool you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail." -- Abraham Maslow

 One of the many programs that The Women's Center offers is The Home to Work Program. It is a job readiness program for displaced homemakers and helps (typically women, though not always) find education, employment or work opportunities. The counselor for this program, Sharon Holtzman, will often say that there are three types of employment -- a career, a job and work. A career is the long term, time-invested, researched series of jobs that come after education or training and careful consideration. Sometimes people work their whole lives within a particular career and sometimes they change career mid-life.

 A job is different. A job is what a person takes when they want to work, but aren't necessarily building towards a particular career, or are past their career days. A job is often one that a person might take because it is available, or they want to try out the work, or they are interested in it. Work -- work is different from either a career or a job. Work is something you go to because you have to or because it's convenient. Work might be part time, or temporary, or fits into your schedule. Work isn't always something an individual is passionate about, but it has some secondary benefit. It is important to know what exactly it is you are looking for -- a career, a job, or work.

 Starting a small business is along the same lines as having a career -- it takes passion and hard work and the long view to start a small business or build up to a career. Regardless of whether you are building a career, searching for a job, or patching together work, it is important to have the right tools. Just like a carpenter or a mechanic would not show up to build or fix something without the right tools, you shouldn't try to do a modern day job search without the right tools.

 So what are the right tools, you might ask?

 1. Up-to-Date Resume

Well, first of all, you will probably need a resume. If this is not something you think you can develop yourself, then definitely get a professional involved. There are social service agencies all over the State of New Jersey that help people to construct resumes, including our job developer Sharon Holtzman. While Sharon's specialization is displaced homemakers, there are additional programs that can help you with a resume. If you want to give it a crack yourself, then Google Docs offers lots of templates to choose from. A resume is a marketing tool, so be sure to include all the details about your skills and employment history that highlight the best of you. Don't include a head shot, your birthday, or when you graduated from high school or college -- that inadvertently tips off a reviewer to your age.

 2. An Interesting, but Not Too Long Cover Letter

 Cover Letters are the first introduction to who you are. Cover letters are the first time someone associates your name with the "brand" of who you are. Make sure the cover letter is well organized and free of errors, but not too long. As close as possible, find the correct address and personal information for where you are applying. Address it to "Whom it May Concern:" only as a last resort. That is a sure way to get it filed in the round file drawer (a.k.a. -- the trashcan). It should also be tailored to the job you are applying for, and include the position. Don't make it too long -- it is just an introduction.

 3. References -- Two Professional, One Personal 

 If possible, use three professional references, and a fourth that is personal, such as family, friend or community member (including clergy). Be sure to check with the individuals first and keep their cell numbers and contact information up to date, particularly in today's day and age when information changes frequently. If you know them professionally, be sure to include their professional affiliation. If you are currently employed and using a co-worker or supervisor as a reference, alert them to the fact that any contact they receive should remain confidential. If you don't trust that it will remain confidential, don't use them. Often resumes state, "References available upon request." Just include your references. With your resume and on your applications.

 4. Job Tracking Log 

A job tracking log can be as simple as journal where you write down all the places you apply to, or as complicated as a spreadsheet. My preference is a web-based spreadsheet with columns that identify the date you sent the resume, how you sent it, who you sent it to, whether you followed up the following week to check on the status and how (stopped in or phone), if you were interviewed, and did you send a thank you note. The bottom line is that finding a career, job or work should be like HAVING a job -- it is something that you do 6 or 8 hours a day. You schedule yourself to do it Monday through Friday, 9-5, not when you're taking a break from the beach. If you want a serious job, you have to treat getting a job like having a job. A job log will help you to organize your leads and track where and when you sent information.

 5. Cheat Sheet for Applications both On and Offline 

There was a time when all applications were paper applications and had to be filled out in the potential place of employment. That can be nerve-racking for many folks, so luckily that has changed. However, while applications can often be filed from your personal computer, that can also intimidate people. To make it a little less intimidating, create a "Cheat Sheet" for yourself. Think of the typical questions asked on any application -- whether its online or paper. Name, address, social security number, employment history, references, skills, training, personal interests. Wouldn't it be easier to think about all that one time, throw it on a cheat sheet, and then just refer to the cheat sheet when confronted with the question? You would be amazed how much easier applications will become.

 6. An Elevator Speech -- Going up? 

While it may seem silly to work on this particular job search tool, it is one that we have really seen work. An elevator speech is your pitch -- your three to five sentence "spiel" when you are faced with someone -- anyone! -- who shows interest in your job search. This is something you should have down cold and can practice in front of a mirror to make it authentic. Don't be afraid to write out the talking points of what you want to say first, and then refine it over time. It shouldn't be longer than the length of time it takes to ride three floors in an elevator. For example, someone laid off from the newspaper industry might say in reply to what kind of work did they do or are they looking for: "I have over 20 years working in the local newspaper industry, and have experience with everything from writing to pre-press composing and typesetting. In my recent years I've spent lots of time training on how papers are now designed and produced completely on computers. I'm interested jobs in graphic design, writing and print production."

 7. A Network 

While this might not be a job tool you can easily hold in your hand, it may be the most important of ALL of the tools. Your networks include your family, your friends, the people you go to church with, the people you have previously worked with, and people in your community organizations, such as Elks or Rotary. Make sure everyone knows you're looking for employment, and what type of employment. This is why an elevator speech is important. No accounts on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn? Get on them. That is where your network lives and is waiting to be told or reminded you are searching for employment. If you background (or future endeavors) are professional, then a completed and robust LinkedIn profile will go a long way. And even more important, LinkedIn has their own job listings. Remember a carpenter could never build a house with a socket wrench -- you need the right tools for the task you are trying to complete as well.

 In my next post about Modern Day Job Searches, I will review the Rule of 5+5+5. Be sure to check in.