Job Search Basics - The Foundation to Your Job Search

Job Search Basics - The Foundation to Your Job Search
Editor's Note
There are three basic aspects to the job search process: Know yourself Know what you want Do what it takes to get there 1) Know Yourself It is important for you to know yourself because it will give you confidence when comes the time for you to sell yourself to others. The job search is a sales pitch. The objective of the sales pitch is to land you the job that you want. The first step in selling anything is to know what you’re selling. You may think that you know yourself, but do you really? What if you are not the person that you think you are? What if you downplay your strengths or overplay your weaknesses? Brainstorm. Look at yourself from different angles. Write down what goes through your mind. Don’t worry if it makes sense yet. That’s not the purpose of brainstorming. The purpose of brainstorming is to let things out. Brainstorming is meant to be chaotic. Brainstorm along these three lines: What is your education? What jobs did you hold? What were your responsibilities? What did you accomplish? What other qualifications do you have? How do you see yourself? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? How do you stand out? How do others perceive you? What strengths do others see in you? What weaknesses do others see in you? How do you stand out in their eyes? Be as detailed as possible. Take a few days to brainstorm. Revisit what you wrote to make sure it’s complete. Now that you have brainstormed, connect the dots. When you look at what you wrote, what stands out? Make sense of your thoughts. Organize the information. Be true to yourself. Being true to yourself will allow you to speak with conviction. 2) Know What You Want The job search is a journey that will take you from where you are to where you want to be. You don’t have a lot of choice in terms of your current circumstances. You are where you are. However, you can choose your destination. How you define your destination can be as wide-ranging as “finding a job” to “finding a job that you like, in an industry that you like, working for a company that you like.” Don’t sell yourself short. Look towards the future: What do you want to do to earn a living? What positions interest you? What industries interest you? What companies interest you? What are you looking for in a work setting? Are you open to relocating? Revisit the past: What aspects of your prior employment did you enjoy? What aspects of your prior employment you didn’t like? If you were fired from your prior position or were let go, revisit what happened. Did you do something wrong? How can you change going forward? This second aspect of the job search process is important because you will articulate your goal. This will allow you to visualize your objective. 3) Do What It Takes to Get There Once you know your destination, you are ready to embark on your journey. There are five roadblocks on this journey. Finding job openings (visit the Networking Center) Applying to those job openings (visit the Cover Letter Center and the Resume Center) Attending the job interview (visit the Interview Center) Following-up after the job interview Evaluating the job offer WorkBloom has a wide array of resources to help you on your journey to a better future. If for some reason you cannot find what you’re looking for, try the search feature at the top right corner of the site. Your answer might be hiding somewhere. Good luck!

Editor's Note

There are three basic aspects to the job search process:

Know yourself
Know what you want
Do what it takes to get there

1) Know Yourself

It is important for you to know yourself because it will give you confidence when comes the time for you to sell yourself to others. The job search is a sales pitch. The objective of the sales pitch is to land you the job that you want.

The first step in selling anything is to know what you’re selling. You may think that you know yourself, but do you really? What if you are not the person that you think you are? What if you downplay your strengths or overplay your weaknesses?

Brainstorm. Look at yourself from different angles. Write down what goes through your mind. Don’t worry if it makes sense yet. That’s not the purpose of brainstorming. The purpose of brainstorming is to let things out. Brainstorming is meant to be chaotic. Brainstorm along these three lines:

What is your education? What jobs did you hold? What were your responsibilities? What did you accomplish? What other qualifications do you have?
How do you see yourself? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? How do you stand out?
How do others perceive you? What strengths do others see in you? What weaknesses do others see in you? How do you stand out in their eyes?

Be as detailed as possible. Take a few days to brainstorm. Revisit what you wrote to make sure it’s complete.

Now that you have brainstormed, connect the dots. When you look at what you wrote, what stands out? Make sense of your thoughts. Organize the information.

Be true to yourself. Being true to yourself will allow you to speak with conviction.

2) Know What You Want

The job search is a journey that will take you from where you are to where you want to be. You don’t have a lot of choice in terms of your current circumstances. You are where you are. However, you can choose your destination. How you define your destination can be as wide-ranging as “finding a job” to “finding a job that you like, in an industry that you like, working for a company that you like.” Don’t sell yourself short.

Look towards the future:

What do you want to do to earn a living?
What positions interest you?
What industries interest you?
What companies interest you?
What are you looking for in a work setting?
Are you open to relocating?

Revisit the past:

What aspects of your prior employment did you enjoy?
What aspects of your prior employment you didn’t like?
If you were fired from your prior position or were let go, revisit what happened. Did you do something wrong?
How can you change going forward?

This second aspect of the job search process is important because you will articulate your goal. This will allow you to visualize your objective.

3) Do What It Takes to Get There

Once you know your destination, you are ready to embark on your journey. There are five roadblocks on this journey.

Finding job openings (visit the Networking Center)
Applying to those job openings (visit the Cover Letter Center and the Resume Center)
Attending the job interview (visit the Interview Center)
Following-up after the job interview
Evaluating the job offer

WorkBloom has a wide array of resources to help you on your journey to a better future. If for some reason you cannot find what you’re looking for, try the search feature at the top right corner of the site. Your answer might be hiding somewhere.

Good luck!