The job search process should be about precision—not volume. It should be about focusing your time and talents into the jobs that you really want and the jobs that you really can get; it should be about positioning yourself for success in each new opportunity that comes about your way. It shouldn’t be about applying for every open position you can, regardless of how well you actually fit its criteria.
If your job search is scattershot, instead of being truly focused, it may well drag on a lot longer than you’d like it to—and it may end up with you accepting a position you’re not so thrilled with. But how do you know if your job search lacks focus? Here are four telltale signs:
- You see jobs that you’re wildly unqualified for—and apply for them anyway.
You know those job descriptions that say a certain degree or certification is required, or that all applicants must have knowledge of a particular skill or software program? Those are usually meant to be taken pretty seriously. They’re not just guidelines, but actual rules. If you’re applying for positions you know you’re not cut out for, you’re really just wasting everyone’s time.
- You don’t have a list of targeted employers.
What’s your dream job? If you could work anywhere, where would it be? Realistically, what are some of the local companies where you think you could fit in and find satisfaction? If you don’t have a list of targeted employers then you don’t really have clear/specific goals for your job search.
- You apply for jobs, but then you don’t follow up.
Are you sending follow-up e-mails after you submit your application, or sending thank-you notes after you interview? It’s hard to keep up with the follow-up process when you’re applying for a hundred jobs a day in a totally unfocused way.
- You haven’t invested in a quality resume.
Your job search is something you have to invest in; you have to develop the personal marketing collateral you need to put your best self forward. If you haven’t ensured your resume is polished and perfect, that shows that you’re less than serious about your career progress.
But it’s easy enough to get serious: Call Grammar Chic’s resume consultant today! Hit us up at 803-831-7444, or www.grammarchic.net.
The Red Ink 