A good start can lead to a good ending
➔ If you’re new to the job search world – especially if you haven’t been a job seeker for a very long time (i.e. minimum 15 years), you’ve probably heard a lot of rumors (and/or read a lot) about how different job seeking is today compared with the last time you looked.
We’re here to say that, “Yes. It’s all true.”
Where to begin?
Some people will say you start with your resume, but some recent successful job seekers advise to go back even further than that. A former manufacturing manager stated, “The first thing to do is soul search. Discover what you’re passion is. You need to be passionate about what you’re going to be doing (and about the jobs that you’re going to be pursuing.) That's the only way you're going to convince someone that they should hire you.”
A woman who moved into a totally new field very different from her previous post echoed that sentiment. “Seek clarity,” she said noting that what helped her was to establish a ritual where she could contemplate what she wanted to do next. She then advised to look at your past jobs and determine what you liked and what you didn’t like about each. That should go a long way to helping you to focus your search.
Most current job seekers – as well as those in the job-search business, i.e. recruiters, HR executives, et.al. – are all in agreement that LinkedIn has become an integral part of any job search.
If you’re new to LinkedIn, there are many resources from where you can accumulate much training. Libraries offer free courses in a variety of computer-related subjects. Your area branch may offer a LinkedIn course as will many local community colleges. If all else fails, YouTube is rife with tutorials. A word of caution about YouTube: make certain that the tutorials you’re watching are fairly current (i.e. within the past six months). A lot has changed about LinkedIn of late and some of what you might be watching could be out of date.
And don’t feel intimidated if you starting out with zero (or very few) LinkedIn connections. Start with people you already know – former colleagues and co-workers, neighbors, relatives, church members, school and community groups, professional associations, etc. Once you start you’ll find that your numbers will multiply quickly.
These few steps will help you to focus on what you want and where to look for it.
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