The Big Five for Job Seekers

Be sure to prioritize and schedule these five key activities for your job search (and beyond): 1. Networking - Reach out to your personal and professional connections. Cultivate and leverage relationships. Get off the computer and get out of the house. Attend professional networking meet-ups. Ask how you can help them. 2. Learning - Always be learning something new. Challenge yourself. Expose your brain to new ideas. Venture out of your comfort zone. Keep on adding to your toolkit. 3. Marketing - Get your brand and message out there to the audiences you want to reach. Help them to get to know you. Find out where their "pain" is. Be the solution. 4. Research - Find out as much as you can about companies of interest to you. Do your homework. Use your local library. Conduct informational interviews. Listen. Show interest in them. 5. Self-Care - Take good care of Yourself, in body (go to the gym), mind (tackle problems and projects), and spirit (feed your soul) to stay sharp and ready for opportunity when it comes

Posted by Terrence H. Seamon January 11, 2020.

The Proactive Job Hunter

In my work as a career transition consultant, I am often asked, "How long will my job search take?"
The answer: It depends.

There are many factors. Some are outside the individual's control. But quite a few are well within the individual's sphere of influence.

Here are nine of them:

Plan - Are you proceeding with a plan? Conducting a job search without a plan is a surefire recipe for disappointment. Just as businesses operate based on plans, so should you. The elements of a good plan are many, but the essential ones you must have are: an Objective (what you are after), a Strategy (how you will get there), and a Team (who will assist and support you along the way).

Relationships - Are you leveraging the power inherent in your professional relationships? The people that you know are your greatest resource in a job search. Each one of them knows other people. When connecting with someone during a job search, don't ask them for a job. Instead, ask them for AIR: Advice, Information, and Referral. Seek advice to acquire wisdom from others. Seek information to get smarter. And seek referrals to gain access to more people who may bring you closer to actual opportunities.

Objective - Do you know what it is you are after? So many desperate job hunters say "I'll take anything." Sadly, that is not an objective. A clear Objective is a must. Be sure to communicate it to others. Be open with others about what you are looking for. Expect that obstacles will occur as you proceed. Rely on your team to help you to overcome them.

Attitude - What is your attitude toward yourself and your search? A job search can be a depressing experience, filled with rejections, setbacks, and disappointments. It's easy to slip into negativity. A positive attitude about yourself and an optimistic attitude toward your search will propel you forward.

Confidence - Do you convey your capabilities with confidence when you communicate? In a job search, you are in sales & marketing. And the product is You. To really know Yourself, your "work" (Job search is a job, after all) includes clarifying your value proposition (why a company should hire you), your brand (what you are known for), and your story (what you have accomplished already). When you feel confident, you will instill that confidence in others.

Target companies - Are you applying to jobs you find on Indeed or other job boards online? While there is nothing wrong with that, a better strategy is to make a list of the companies you are most interested in. Learn all you can about them. Reach out and make contact with people who work there. Find out who the decision makers are. Increase your visibility to them. Help them to get to know you and what you can do.

Initiative - Are you making things happen every day, every week, of your search? A waiting posture is not productive. Rather, an active, purposeful approach will generate positive energy. Get out of the house. Go to career events and networking meetings. Arrange informational interviews with people you want to get to know. Volunteer some time each week to help others in need. Make sure you are learning something new in your field.

Visibility - Do employers know you exist? You can increase your visibility to the companies you have on your target list. Make sure you are on LinkedIn. Have a complete profile. Then get active on LinkedIn by sharing updates with your network, joining groups, and interacting with others. Beyond LinkedIn, get active in your professional networks locally. Show up and pitch in to help. Be seen as someone who is humble, active, current, and accessible.

Engine of Success - Do you have a reliable process for producing successful outcomes in your Life? Each of us, not only job seekers, needs an engine of success. In its simplest form, an engine of success is a cycle that includes Relationships, Conversations, Actions, and Learning. Don't let a day go by, during a job search, without reaching out to someone (Relationship) for a conversation about what matters most (Conversation), to stimulate some activity you can undertake (Action), and see what outcome you get (Learning). Repeat the cycle every day until you land. But even then, continue to use the cycle in your new job. And for the rest of your Life.

How long will your search take? It depends...especially on how proactive you are.

Terrence Seamon assists people in career transitions to move toward their goals. Follow him on twitter @tseamon