Get Started to Get Ahead

New to the job search process? Wondering where to begin? Here are five pointers to help you get STARTed:

S=Set a goal for your search
T=Take aim at Target roles & organizations
A=Ask others to help you
R=Routinize your day
T=Take Training in the basics of job search

Let's take a look at each item.

• Setting a goal for your job search is the place to begin. What do you want to do next in your career? Without a goal, there can be no focus and no direction. When setting a goal, be sure that it is specific, measurable, aligned, realistic, and has a time frame.
• Taking aim at target roles and organizations comes next. Most job hunters don't really do this as well as they should. They tend to react to job postings that they see on job boards. Rather than a reactive approach such as that, take a proactive approach by making a list of the companies of interest to You that could use your skills and capabilities.
• Asking others to help you is a smart way to expand your reach into the marketplace. Every person that you know has their own interpersonal network that you can leverage to gain information, advice, and referrals. 
• Routinizing your day brings structure and order to the blank slate of unemployment. Just as your schedule was full when you were working, fill your schedule now with the activities that will bring you closer to your goal. Activities with high payoff value include networking, researching, marketing, learning, and volunteering some of your time to help others. 
• Taking training in the skills and processes of job searching is a really wise thing to do especially if it is new to you. Luckily there is a great deal of help available both online and in your local area.

As a wise person once said, The key to getting ahead is getting started.