3 Effective Steps to Manage Your Job Search

Written by Matthew Howland, JobsArticle.com

Many job seekers struggle with how to effectively manage their job search. Given the fact job hunting is not something you do full time, this is understood. If you are recently unemployed, the reality is finding work now must become your full time job and it is time you became an expert.

As a construction project manager my skills and background helped me develop organized job management tools. The organizational methods I developed for my own job hunt, I now offer you.

At this point, I assume you already created or updated your resume as well as signed up for various job boards. If not, I suggest you do so prior to completing the steps listed here. For more help with getting your feet on the ground, Google my article “7 MUST DOs ONCE UNEMPLOYED”.
1. Create A List of Potential Employers

Listings on job boards will receive hundreds, even thousands of resumés, making your chances of landing the job or even being called for an interview very small. You can overcome this by contacting companies directly. Doing so will give you opportunities for unadvertised positions as well as potentially build your network.

Make an extensive list of all potential employers within your job search area(s). For assistance, use the local yellow pages or online business directories to seek companies related to your field. This list should be, extensive with at least 50 companies, or more.

After the list is created, prioritize it based on your job and employer priorities. The internet is your friend for finding necessary information to help with your decision. On a daily basis you will apply to some of these companies. Use your prioritized list which to contact first.

When prioritizing your list, use a somewhat adaptable method. The 1,2,3,4,... method, while effective for small lists, does not lend itself to large lists. My favorite way to organize large lists is to assign an A, B, or C to each item in the list. A = high priority item; B = medium priority item; C = low priority item. After an A, B, or C is assigned to each item, go through all of the As and assign a 1, 2, or 3. One being the highest and three the lowest. Repeat this step for B and C items. Even though some of your items will have the same priorities, your company list will be much more manageable.
2. Develop a Job Search Management Tool to Organize Potential Employers

To make your job search successful, you must manage employer information in a way you can easily reference. Three job search management tools I suggest:
A. Notebook

A three ring binder or spiral bound notebook is inexpensive and portable. Use one of these to track all of the job related information for each company. Divide the three ring binder with tabs and organize according to your priorities. Use these to separate jobs to which you apply.

For each company, use one page (front and back) in your notebook. On each page list the following information: company name, contact name, business phone number, mobile phone number, email address, website address, job title sought, and whether or not you sent a resume. When you first compile the list and notebook, you will not have all of this information, but leave room for it anyway. Try to fit this information in the upper portion of the page. The lower portion and back side is the log portion of the sheet, which you will use to document your interaction with the company. Note here all your communication and interviews. Date each log entry for easy reference and future follow up.

Consider maintaining a table of contents at the front and for each section of the notebook.
B. Spreadsheet

If you are handy with a spreadsheet, you can use one in place of the notebook. For this, create a column header for each item needed in the notebook. For the log portion, create a field for notes. Log each interaction and use a character such as a “;” to separate each entry.

Spreadsheets allow you to easily sort the data to suit your needs, though they are not easily portable. You can also use colors and shading to highlight specific cells.
C. Online Job Search Management

Online applications, such as JibberJobber.com or becomed.com, can help organize this information for you. Both of these applications can track all information necessary to manage your job search. Each has it strengths, so I suggest trying each to see which better suits you. Registration is free, costing you nothing but time. The advantage of this option is login availability at any computer.
3. Maintain Your Job Search Management Tool

As you hear about other job opportunities, add them to your job management tool. If you apply to a company using an online job board, add those jobs as well. Use the internet to ferret out as much information as you can about each company, and find a way to utilize it to your benefit.

These steps will help you be organized in your job search and successful in your ultimate goal, landing a job. The key to these tools and others like them, is to use them effectively and consistently. Adapt them to suit your needs. This is not a one size fits all solution, but a framework to get you started. Use and maintain these tools daily and they will aid in your success.

Job Info , Career Sources , Employment