Looking for a new job? If so, there are a number of things you should do before you submit your resume.
- Conduct informational interviews to learn about different jobs and organizations, and figure out what you want to do.
- Research organizations to identify those in your sweet spot—learn about their culture, mission, and values.
- Write a job search plan to hold yourself accountable; write down where you want to apply, how many applications you want to send out each day / week, how many people you will contact in your network each week, the time you will commit to networking each day, the resources you will use to help you prepare your career documents, etc.
- Once you have identified where you want to work and what you want to do, list your contacts so you can reach out to your network. Not sure you have the right contacts? There is where LinkedIn can help you see who you know who might be able to assist you.
- Draft your resume toward your target job(s). Make sure that your resume is appropriate for your career field, includes key words, focuses on the past 10 years, uses numbers to provide context to your work, accomplishments to demonstrate the value you have contributed to your employers, and a strong qualifications summary.
- Use your network to apply for positions you hear about, tweaking your resume each time to ensure it fits the specific announcement. If you can identify the hiring manager and find him/her on LinkedIn, read and respond to their posts. It’s OK to apply through job boards but do not make job boards your sole strategy.
- While you are waiting for responses, practice your interview skills.
- Follow up if you haven’t heard about your applications after 2-3 weeks.
- Don’t get discouraged. Job search takes time and in the current environment where many employers are still teleworking and the volume of applicants is high, it may take longer than usual to make the transition you want.
- Engage in self-care throughout the process. Job search is high stress. Don’t forget to do all of the things that you know you should: eat right, exercise, take breaks, engage with family and friends—and take time for yourself!
