Organizing the New Job Search

In today's economy, more people seem to be out of work than in recent memory. Organizing yourself for a new job search can entail following a couple of simple steps. Here are a couple of tips to organizing your new job search.

• Plan. Sit down and really think about your career goals. What is important to you? Write down your goals. Do you already have the training to accomplish your goals? If you do have the training and education to accomplish your goals, what held you back in the past from accomplishing your goals? Be honest with yourself. You are embarking on an important journey in your life.
• Temp Agencies. If you seek to stay within your town for your new job search, contact local temporary and permanent employment offices for information on job market trends. Ask a staffing manager what types of jobs are most requested by employers. Find out what employers are looking for not only in a resume but also in a potential employee. The employment marketplace is continuously changing and with the change comes new job skill needs.
• Resume. Review your resume. Does your resume highlight your capabilities? Do not hold yourself back. Take time to review and add new skills you may have acquired since your last resume update. Create a core resume and cover letter you can revise to fit different job categories you are seeking. Put key words into your resume and cover letter that highlight your skill sets and are used by job descriptions posted by potential employers. Label your resumes using the job category to make it easier to retrieve the correct resume and cover letter such as marketing resume, sales resume, etc.
• Company consideration. Consider the importance to you in a company. Do you want to stay within a certain commuting distance from your home? Are you searching for a full-time, part-time, temporary job position or are you only searching for companies in a specific industry? Understanding what is important to you will help put your job search in the right direction.
• Computer. Create job folders on your computer. Keeping a log of the jobs and companies you have applied to will help you analyze from which companies and job openings you are receiving the most responses. Keeping track of the responses can help you fine-tune your job search. Update your resume and re-post back on job search websites. Keeping your resume fresh and inviting can help keep your resume in front of potential employers.
• Market research. Research the marketplace you hope to target. Keeping on top of what the job market offers and what employers in those markets expect from their employees can assist you when you go into the interview process.

Finding a job can be time consuming and overwhelming. If you are unemployed, do not be bashful in using your social networks to discuss potential job opportunities that may fit what you are seeking.