JOB SEARCH

JOB SEARCH PLAN

Be prepared and organized: “If you fail to plan, you essentially are planning to fail.”
Develop a Job Search Plan of Action (POA) one-pager so you have a strategy, know what you need to do, and trajectory on tasks you have done and need to do
Gather a support group of people who will encourage, coach and/or connect you in your job search
Decide upon a role and industry (makes focus and discussion with employers easier) – perhaps more than one for each
Get all writing templates ready: resume, cover letter, references, etc. (on-going optimization)
Have a few resume templates based upon keywords needed for specific roles
Create profile/accounts at LinkedIn, Indeed, GlassDoor, GeekWire (tech industry), CareerBuilder, Monster, Craigslist, and/or Idealist (nonprofit industry) and know these how to navigate these sites THOROUGHLY and create Alerts so you get an email as soon as a new job you’re looking for is posted (and keep them updated with your latest resume)
Create a Contact list (i.e. rolodex) that will be updated online to sync with your smartphone (it will make your life easier and optimize LinkedIn and your networking)
Employee referrals is CRUCIAL more than ever to have max chance of an interview and for your resume to be in the top 5% to be looked at so NETWORK and develop relationships with people on the inside of the companies you are seeking to work at (see next point as well as the section on NETWORKING ON LINKED)
Get your community of family & friends to keep their eyes/ears open to the type of job you are seeking and ask them to connect you to anyone they know that may be in a position to help (e.g. hiring manager, know someone in another dept.)
Search proficiently on Google and LinkedIn using search string methods (e.g .Boolean Searching: http://lib.colostate.edu/tutorials/boolean.html)
Use college career center and/or WorkSource (this is not just for people who just lost their job…open to anyone incl. college grads): https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/worksource/
Reminder to apply for jobs on LinkedIn, Craigslist and individual company websites
Do not think job sites only have jobs for you to apply – many worthy companies do not list all (or any) openings on job sites but only on their own website
If you have an industry (or two) that are really want to get into, compile a list of the companies on a spreadsheet to really know the industry, who the leaders are and apply online on their website, network with people in those companies via LinkedIn, etc. For example, in tech, see Crunchbase News and see which companies are trending up and see their job openings on their website, LinkedIn or Indeed.
Organize your job applications and network by putting your job search info on a spreadsheet (e.g. Google doc) so to track progress, have info on when you applied, and use it as a way to follow up with different and more people (e.g. recruiters, hiring manager)
Apply to 20+ jobs per week with 25% employee referrals
Network with recruiters and people in same division on LinkedIn of the companies you have applied to (see section on NETWORKING ON LINKED)
Research a company that you have a phone or interview with a company’s financial, leadership, products/services, culture and outlook (future trajectory) – these are 5 things I’m looking for in a company I want to work for. Use Yahoo Finance
Practice interviews by doing mock interviews and understand the STAR method (Situational/Task, Action you took, Results you achieved)
Dress appropriately for interviews and always send a Thank YOU email or card afterwards
Follow up rule of thumb: Max 2 communique per week (email/voicemail) and after 2 weeks without any response/feedback, move on…recruiters/employers will contact you IF they really want you
If need be, apply to Temporary Agencies to make $ short-term (see Temp Agencies section below)
Compile questions you will ask interviewer (this shows your own research, intelligence, articulation skills, and thoughfulness) such as “What is your management style (or philosophy?” – the more discussion of this time interviewer normally gives you the better
Trial close before close (i.e. Will you make me an offer?) – this is a question to surface their concerns about you. For example, “Is there any concern about me and background that will give you pause from hiring me?”

CHECKOFF LIST

Write down your plan of action?
Have your support team?
Resume Template? More than 1 (see below)?
Cover Letter (see below)?
LinkedIn profile?
Active getting connections on LinkedIn?
Learn how to “NETWORK?”
Create profiles on job sites – Indeed, Career Builder, Monster, Craigslist?
Have list of References?
Know how to network in-person and via LinkedIn?
Apply to jobs almost daily with 25% employee referrals
Research an industry where you know the leaders and as many organizations as possible?

DOCUMENTS RESOURCE

Resume Template-modern

Resume Template-simple

Resume Template-robust

Cover Letter Template

Interview Guide | Interview Prep | Interview Tips on STAR

Interview Questions from UW Career Services | Interview Question Topics

Topgrading Interviews (article)

Job Progress Tracker Template (highly encourage to use Google Drive spreadsheet to have it online instead)

NETWORKING ON LINKEDIN

For example, say you’re trying to find someone at Tableau Software which their website is tableausoftware.com and we need their email structure.
Google search: (“*@tableausoftware.com”) – asterisk means infinity and we’re looking for how they structure email names (e.g.first.last@tableausoftware.com or flast@tableausoftware.com)
Click image on right for the 2nd page of Google to see an actual email address
Now you can search on LinkedIn for a company and drill to people you want to find (e.g. Seattle). I try to find people in Seattle but also with specific titles (e.g. human or recruiter or talent). I don’t put down “Human Resources” or “Talent Acquisition”, I just use one word which is unique enough.
Either you search the Company or click Advanced (to search more defined categories) – just play around with it to master how to use LinkedIn search effectively
Then I right click “Connect” for each person and click the radio button of “Other” and enter the email address
Do it for many people to see, in a day or so, who has accepted connecting with you.
Once someone connects, that would be strategic for you to network, I send them a LinkedIn email. Something like,
“Thanks for connecting here, Jane. I am interested in applying for the sales role and would like to network with you. I have x # years in sales. Can I network with you about Tableau?”

JOB SEARCH TIPS

http://www.careerinfonet.org/crl/library.aspx?LVL2=7&CATID=4&LVL3=y&PostVal=1

http://www.glassdoor.com/ (interview questions, salary, rating, reviews)

http://finance.yahoo.com/marketupdate?u

http://linkedin.com

http://www.indeed.com

http://www.careerbuilder.com

http://www.monster.com

http://seattle.craigslist.org

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/jobs

TEMP AGENCIES

http://jobs.volt.com

http://www.kellyservices.com

http://www.pacestaffing.com/job-seekers-employees

http://www.corestaff.com

http://parkerservices.com

http://www.terrastaffinggroup.com

http://www.sosemploymentgroup.com

NONPROFIT WORLD

http://www.idealist.org

CAREER TOOLS

http://www.mynextmove.org

http://www.myskillsmyfuture.org

http://www.careeronestop.org/CareerTools/CareerTools.asp

http://www.careerbridge.wa.gov/Page.aspx?nid=5 (Washington State)

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

http://www.careerpath.com (Career Builder)

http://www.assessment.com

http://www.123test.com/career-test

https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/worksource/StaticContent.aspx?Context=SkillsCenter&CurrentPage=SkillsCenter

LABOR MARKET INFO

https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/employmentdata (Trends)

https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/wilma/wdclists/MainMenu.aspx (In-Demand Jobs in Puget Sound)

http://www.onetonline.org (Job description, abilities, requirements, etc.)

TRAINING

https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/worksource/StaticContent.aspx?Context=TrainingPrograms&CurrentPage=TrainingPrograms (FREE computer learning and more!)

OTHER

http://lib.colostate.edu/tutorials/boolean.html (Boolean Searching)

http://jobs.volt.com/resume-interview-tips

Alex Sum

live coram deo

JOB SEARCH PLAN

Be prepared and organized: “If you fail to plan, you essentially are planning to fail.”

Develop a Job Search Plan of Action (POA) one-pager so you have a strategy, know what you need to do, and trajectory on tasks you have done and need to do

Gather a support group of people who will encourage, coach and/or connect you in your job search

Decide upon a role and industry (makes focus and discussion with employers easier) – perhaps more than one for each

Get all writing templates ready: resume, cover letter, references, etc. (on-going optimization)

Have a few resume templates based upon keywords needed for specific roles

Create a Contact list (i.e. rolodex) that will be updated online to sync with your smartphone (it will make your life easier and optimize LinkedIn and your networking)

Get your community of family & friends to keep their eyes/ears open to the type of job you are seeking and ask them to connect you to anyone they know that may be in a position to help (e.g. hiring manager, know someone in another dept.)

Search proficiently on Google and LinkedIn using search string methods (e.g .Boolean Searching: http://lib.colostate.edu/tutorials/boolean.html)

Use college career center and/or WorkSource (this is not just for people who just lost their job…open to anyone incl. college grads): https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/worksource/

Reminder to apply for jobs on LinkedIn, Craigslist and individual company websites

Do not think job sites only have jobs for you to apply – many worthy companies do not list all (or any) openings on job sites but only on their own website

Organize your job applications and network by putting your job search info on a spreadsheet (e.g. Google doc) so to track progress, have info on when you applied, and use it as a way to follow up with different and more people (e.g. recruiters, hiring manager)

Apply to 20+ jobs per week with 25% employee referrals

Network with recruiters and people in same division on LinkedIn of the companies you have applied to (see section on NETWORKING ON LINKED)

Research a company that you have a phone or interview with a company’s financial, leadership, products/services, culture and outlook (future trajectory) – these are 5 things I’m looking for in a company I want to work for. Use Yahoo Finance

Practice interviews by doing mock interviews and understand the STAR method (Situational/Task, Action you took, Results you achieved)

Dress appropriately for interviews and always send a Thank YOU email or card afterwards

Follow up rule of thumb: Max 2 communique per week (email/voicemail) and after 2 weeks without any response/feedback, move on…recruiters/employers will contact you IF they really want you

If need be, apply to Temporary Agencies to make $ short-term (see Temp Agencies section below)

Compile questions you will ask interviewer (this shows your own research, intelligence, articulation skills, and thoughfulness) such as “What is your management style (or philosophy?” – the more discussion of this time interviewer normally gives you the better

Trial close before close (i.e. Will you make me an offer?) – this is a question to surface their concerns about you. For example, “Is there any concern about me and background that will give you pause from hiring me?”

CHECKOFF LIST

Write down your plan of action?

Have your support team?

Resume Template? More than 1 (see below)?

Cover Letter (see below)?

LinkedIn profile?

Active getting connections on LinkedIn?

Learn how to “NETWORK?”

Create profiles on job sites – Indeed, Career Builder, Monster, Craigslist?

Have list of References?

Know how to network in-person and via LinkedIn?

Apply to jobs almost daily with 25% employee referrals

Research an industry where you know the leaders and as many organizations as possible?