The MicroTrain Blog

Hump Day Hunting Help: August 17, 2011

by Kassandra McGhee on August 17th, 2011

Hump Day Hunting Help:  August 17, 2011

Tip of the Week:  Help, My Job Search Needs a Check-up 

Every now and then it’s good to check the vitals on your job search.  And like any good check-up, a thorough review is necessary to ensure all systems are functioning to their optimum capacity. 

Your job search is as complex as your health and involves intricate parts that must function together to get the results you desire.  Begin your job search check-up by examining the following:

Job Search Goal

Review your job search goal for accuracy and relevancy based upon your skills and today’s market.  Keep your job search strong by continuously identifying the skills the market demands and job titles that reflect how you can meet these needs. 

Job Search Plan

A diversified  job search approach which includes a healthy dose of networking is essential for your job search plan.  Continue to check the pulse of the market for new job search sites, trends and ways to promote your skills to employers needing your talent. 

Marketing Collateral

Your resume must be tailored for each position.  Be sure it is properly formatted, updated and includes key words from the job announcement.  Obtain business cards that provide information regarding your expertise, contact information and LinkedIn profile to distribute to networking contacts.

Follow Up

Whether it’s a resume/application submission or an interview, follow up is a vital part of your healthy job search.  Demonstrate to the employer that you are committed to the company by actively pursuing the job opportunity.  Don’t puncture the process, stay engaged from beginning through the end. 

The overall health of your job search is based upon the overall health of each part of your job search system.  So conduct your job search health check-up and make sure it’s strong, healthy and prepared to help you succeed.

Happy Hunting!

Hump Day Hunting Help: August 10, 2011

by Kassandra McGhee on August 9th, 2011

Tip of the Week: Seeing Your Job Search in 3-D

Are you seeing your job search in 3-D?  And does your job search have the required 3-D tool? 

Well like any other project, your job search should include the proper 3-D perspective and use the 3-D tool to achieve overall project success. 

No, there are no special glasses required. This all imperative 3-D perspective and tool has the following simple features which are critical to your career success:  

  • Direction

Determine where you’re going—the overall project objective/goal.   

For your career project, decide the direction of your job search efforts by asking yourself the following questions: What is my career goal? What are my target companies and why? What location of the country, state, city, etc. do I desire to work?  This will help ensure you’re spending your project resources, primarily your time, on activities that will help you achieve your overall goal. 

  • Dedication

Stay committed, devoted and constant.  

Make a job search schedule and stick to it.  Schedule time to complete each of the following project activities: company research, job board research, social networking, in-person networking, resume review & updates, relax, etc.  Keep notes on your daily activities to identify how you’ve spent your resource of time and determine your ROI.  

  • Drive

It’s all about your motivation.

It’s easier to stay dedicated and committed to your job search project/plan with the proper motivation.  So, find ways to keep yourself motivated and keep your goal in sight.  Remember, don’t focus on the apparent losses (i.e., job rejection, not hearing back from an employer, not immediately finding the right opportunity, etc.).  Learn from these experiences and move forward.  Remain focused on your wins (i.e., achieving weekly job search goals, improving social media pages, building your networking including increasing connections on LinkedIn, obtaining job interviews, etc.).  In the end, your drive is the ultimate driving force of your project.   

So as you can see, putting your job search in 3-D is simple and plain but effective!  And below are several articles with helpful tips on how to 3-D your job search. 

Happy Hunting!

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