Is Your Job Search On Track?

Recently, fellow career coach and colleague, John Hadley, shared with me a list he had provided at the beginning of a workshop he did for job searchers between the ages of 20 to 30 years old.  The list is a guide to help the job searcher both manage and evaluate the quality of their job search.  While the 10 items included hold the searcher to very high standard, I can assure you they are all items which are a major part of a “well run” search.  Will you find the job you seek without doing all of these?  Possibly you will.  However, not to be doing most of these well on a consistent basis is likely going to mean you are going to have a very long search.

If you are currently in search, test yourself against the items below.  If you are about to enter search, and are unsure of what some of these items are, or how to go about them, consider the assistance of a job search support group or professional career coach.

Job search is a process that many will tell you requires, when doing it full time and well, to be a forty hour a week activity, (yes the same amount of time you spend on a job when working full-time)   By focusing on the activities that will move your search forward more quickly, you will make the process more engaging and fulfilling for yourself.

Rate yourself from 1-10 on each of these, 1 being the worst score and 10 the best:

  1. I have set a clear, specific job search target.
  2. All of my friends and networking contacts know my target, and why I would be an outstanding candidate.
  3. I have a clear, concise, unique value proposition that distinguishes me from other candidates.
  4. My résumé gets me the interviews I want.
  5. I’m good at crafting cover letters, networking emails and other correspondence that generate positive responses.
  6. I have at least 20 concise, compelling, results-oriented accomplishment stories.
  7. I have at least 5 one-on-one networking meetings or phone calls per week.
  8. My networking 1-on-1’s consistently result in strong referrals.
  9. I interview in a way that regularly generates job offers.
  10. I’m comfortable and effective in compensation discussions.

Now look at your scores, and circle your 3 lowest.

How would it affect your search if you could increase your scores on even just those 3 to the 8-10 level?  And what can you do to make that happen?