As professional resume writers, our goal is to give you the career marketing pieces (resumes, cover letters, bios, LinkedIn profiles, and more) that will help make your job search more productive. Our assumption is that you will take these resources and give your job search the effort it deserves – that you’ll do what it takes to land a great position.
But occasionally, and especially if you’ve been unemployed for a while, it can be difficult to keep up the momentum required for a successful job search. An executive coach I admire had this to say: “don’t let any effort of yours be mediocre; make every effort your best.” Click here to read the full article. His advice applies to everyone at every stage of their careers, but it’s particularly good advice for job seekers.
For many people, a job search strategy consists of these three phases:
1. Write a resume
2. Apply for online job postings
3. Wait
Sound familiar? Many job seekers repeat steps two and three – over and over again – for months. They wonder why they aren’t called for interviews. They feel qualified for the job openings, yet the phone doesn’t ring. Applying for online job postings may be the easiest way to search for a job, but it certainly isn’t your BEST EFFORT.
Here are ways to maximize your success in the job search process:
1. Be sure you’re armed with a truly excellent resume that showcases the right information and presents the “best you.” If you think your resume might be “mediocre,” commit to changing that. If you’re not ready to invest in a professionally written resume, make your BEST EFFORT to learn about current resume best practices, strategies, and guidelines.
2. Stop relying on online job postings alone. Job boards are a great way to find out about advertised job openings, but networking remains the most effective way to get a new job. Devise a comprehensive job search plan, and put your professional relationships at the center of that plan. Then, be sure you’re making your BEST EFFORT in every interaction. A single mediocre interaction can have negative results in the context of your job search.
3. While you’re looking for a new job, continue to put in your BEST EFFORT in your current job. You’ll need references, and you never know when you’ll end up working with the same people in the future.