So how do you start a Job Search, if you are a person in transition (layoff / change career direction / stuck in job that does not match ‘your passion’)?
How about being a new grad from college, grad school, high school?
What will separate you from the sometimes ‘thousands’ of candidates in the internet clogged ‘web’ of companies trying to get candidates?
Before you start this ‘search’, it’s important to discover your root values and strengths, which will help to ignite your Passions, Gifts, Talents, Possibilities and Purpose.
We help individuals start or realign their career direction, as well as reinvent themselves as individuals so they can begin their career, enhance their career, and / or even develop a different route for their ‘encore’ career.
The process also helps an individual create opportunities and get the job they’ll love by finding a specific career path.
Especially important is to ‘get noticed’ by hiring managers and Leadership Coaches within organizations.
The following 6 Steps is a ‘strategic’ process developed and used at Kehoe Consultants to help you have a streamlined, solid ‘search’ process:
1. Start with a strong Career Assessment Tool
Assessment tools, such as ‘Elevations’ ©, give you an in-depth view of an individual’s Values, Skills, Personality Traits, and Career Interests, all in one assessment report.
2. Competencies Grid
The ‘jewel’ of this job search process, is to help an individual develop and complete a Competencies /Skills grid. It can be used as a personal ‘script’ during a phone or in person interview or an informational conversation.
3. It’s Not You…It’s Your Resume
Learn straight forward layout techniques that make your resume easy to read by any recruiter or resume scanning device. Use a personal summary statement, and for each job position noted on the resume, provide specific quantitative accomplishments. Attend a resume workshop or study up on resume writing.
4. Without a Marketing Plan it is Hard to Meet the ‘Right’ Hiring Managers
The Referral Grid has 3 columns:
- Each column title has a different industry label, ‘industries’ that interest you.
- Under each column, list each name of organizations in that industry that are interesting to you.
- Now it’s time to network with professionals, community leaders, friends and family; and ask “Who do you know?” at these companies or in these industries of interest to you. Start filling in your grid.
Ask them to help you fill in a specific name and contact information under each organization on the blank grid. Be sure to also write who gave you each contact name. Now you have a ‘warm calling list’ to begin your job search process. Show your Referral Grid to as many people as possible / get as much input as you can!
5. ‘To the Point’ Cover Letters Use Their Words to Get You Noticed
Start by reading the job posting like Sherlock Holmes. Look for clues as to how the job posting matches your background. Then develop your cover letter using key words from the job posting that
will be ‘picked up’ electronically from your cover letter. This draws attention from the hiring manager/recruiter.
6. Behavioral Interviewing Techniques with a Twist
The Behavioral Interview process used by many organizations works off the STAR method of questioning.
S – Situation
T– Tasks
A– Actions
R– Results
The ‘twist’ is to prepare/ practice your answers using these STAR responses and to have concise and ‘to the point’ answers. The Competency Grid, which we mentioned before, can be a script for your interview because it highlights your strengths, competencies and technical skills, at a glance, by you during your interview.
In my business, Kehoe Consultants, we have extensive experience helping individuals start or realign their career direction, as well as reinvent themselves as individuals so they can begin their career, enhance their career, and even develop a route for their ‘encore’ career. The process also helps an individual create opportunities, get the job they’ll love by finding a specific career path and, especially important, get noticed by hiring managers and Leadership Coaches within organizations.
More Job Search Ideas / Read More