8 Ways to Be A Smart Job Seeker - CareerAlley

8 Ways to Be A Smart Job Seeker - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Many of us are familiar with the hardships involved in being an unemployed job seeker (take a look at I Lost My Job, Now What). Not only is it frustrating and depressing when you cant find a job, but the feelings become magnified as the length of time unemployed increases and the financial stress takes its toll. Rather than be depressed over the challenges and pressures of looking for a new job, job seekers should focus on accomplishments along the way. Following are eight tips on how to fast track your job search by becoming a smarter, more focused job seeker and be better equipped for the future job market. Review Your Finances and make a Budget: If you are unemployed, the first thing you need to do is review your finances and make a budget. Immediately review your finances to see where you can curb costs and expenses. Make an unemployed budget. Apply for unemployment. Although it is not much, it is more than zero. If you need to travel for job interviews, try to schedule several events in the same day. Reevaluate Your Skills and Experience (Apptitude Test): Understand your strengths and weaknesses. There are a few things you can do, such as, Aptitude Tests, Career Test, IQ Tests, Inventory, and Personality Tests. Take a look at What do You Want to be When You Grow Up? Job Search Made Easy Take a Free Career Test The word free always gets my attention. Set Realistic and Achievable Goals: Make your time count when it comes to finding the right job. Make a specific checklist of the things you want to achieve each day to make sure your job search is productive. Set goals such as I need to make at least five calls today or Im going to reach out / network with four people today. Make you list of companies where you would like to work. Once you have this list, do some research to find competitors and add those companies to your list as well. Your Job Search is Your Full Time Job: When you are out of work, finding the right job requires the same commitment as one would commit to a full-time job. Set a work schedule of at least 9am to 5pm 5 days per week. Create your daily to do list (see above) for the next day as the last task of the day. Spend part of each day focusing on one key item (networking, job applications, research, recruiters, etc.). Build and Leverage Your Network: Make a list of your existing network. This includes every friend, relative, former coworker, current coworker, college or high school acquaintance, your neighbors, your mailman and the checkout person at the supermarket. All of these individuals are part of your existing network. Extend your network by adding people who work or worked at companies where you worked, people who work or worked at companies where you would like to work. Recruiters who cover your industry. Attend networking events. These are a great place to build you network. There are a wide range of events, including alumni events and trade group events. Improve Your Skills (and Learn New Skills): Review your existing skills (from above) and make a plan to improve skills that are weak. There are many online courses you can take. Improving your reading, writing and math skills will add confidence and make you a better candidate. Improve your computer skills, including applications that are important for your industry. If you are currently unemployed, dedicate time during your job search to acquire new skills. Professional Help: If needed, hire a professional resume writer who can help with your resume and help you build your Job Search Marketing Toolkit (see CareerAlley Resources) Im not a fan of paid job search professionals (people who you pay to help you find a job), so buyer beware on these individuals. Recruiters (they get paid by the hiring company) are professionals who can help ensure you have everything you need to succeed on your interviews. Social Media: Understand and leverage social media. Facebook can be leveraged for your job search. That being said, be careful what is on your Facebook account that may ruin your chances with potential employers. Google yourself often. Create a Google alert with your name. Be the first to know if there is anything negative about you on the Internet. LinkedIn Need I say more? Take a look at Creating Your Network on LinkedIn We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ what where job title, keywords or company city, state or zip jobs by