The first step in job hunting is finding out about yourself and your desires. Decide what you'd really like to do. What are your skills and capabilities? A little soul-searching at the start of your job hunt can pay big dividends. After you've learned about yourself, you'll be better able to determine what type of employment you're seeking.
Research different fields to find a career that matches your skills and your desires. Visit your local library and your local college's career planning and placement office, and job-shadow people whose careers are potential options for you. Choose one or two careers to start your research, and take some pressure off yourself by remembering that very few people stay in the same career for life. The job you're seeking now is only the first step in a series of career moves.
Next, think about the geographical location in which you'd like to live and work. Would you consider relocating? How far? The answers to these questions will determine the boundaries of your job search. Consider all the facets of your life that will hinge on the location of your job: housing, commuting, schooling for you and your family, and relationships that will change with distance. After you've looked at these and other pertinent factors, map out your target job-search area.
Prepare Your Resume
If you were building a home, you'd use the very best tools available to you so that the process would be easier and the outcome would be better. Similarly, when you build your career, it is important to use quality tools. Examine all the resumes you can find. Make decisions about which format, paper, type styles, and wording you prefer. Write a few rough drafts and get feedback from trusted friends and professionals. A neat, well-written, and error-free resume will not only give you confidence throughout your job search, but also get you in the door and provide you with the opportunity to sell yourself at the job interview.
Target Potential Employers
Who employs people with your skills? Which companies are best, and which positions within them are likely to fit your best? There are many places where you can look for the answers to these questions.
For written material, start at the library. Check out manufacturing and industrial directories. Find the appropriate professional journals, and do a periodical search (a librarian can help you) to see what current newspapers and magazines have to say about a particular company or a general career field. College placement offices often have information on local companies. The local chamber of commerce or professional and business associations can also provide you with helpful literature. You might also glean valuable information from the classified ads and the Yellow Pages.
Don't forget your most valuable source of information: people. Ask questions of friends, relatives, and co-workers. See what you can learn from members of your church, health club, social organizations, or professional groups. Person-to-person contact will provide you with current information and the "inside scoop" on certain companies or careers. Talking with people is a great way to begin establishing your network. This is also the point at which you could begin informational interviewing to learn specifics from established professionals.
Hopefully, all your reading and networking will pay off with a long list of possible employers. Narrow this list to employers who meet the requirements you set in the first phases of your job search. Set aside organizations that are outside your geographical range or that do not employ people in the type of position you seek.
Now that you have a strong working list, do a bit more research by writing or calling potential employers to request any public relations information, sales literature, or annual reports they are willing to send you. Use these materials or your telephone skills to learn the name of the person who makes the hiring decisions at each work place. This is usually the person who would be your supervisor. Avoid sending materials to the human resources office; its primary function is to screen applicants out!
