Job Search Checkup…Ron Damer has prepared the following check up list for those in the midst of their job search:
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| YES | NEEDS WORK | NOT-SO-GOOD | ||||
| Your Resume | ||||||
| Does it describe your education achieved? | ||||||
| Does it describe any additional seminars/training you have had? | ||||||
| Does it cover ALL the time period since your degree or training? | ||||||
| Does it cite key accomplishments achieved? | ||||||
| Does it provide an overview of your skills and areas of expertise before diving into the details? | ||||||
| Does it include any non-job awards or positions that help establish your personal characteristics (E.G. “man of the year” award, church deacon, service club officer, etc.) | ||||||
| Is it brief and easy to read? (Bullet points rather than sentences, ample white space) | ||||||
| Is your contact information clearly evident and include cell phone and e-mail? | ||||||
| Your Cover Letter | ||||||
| Does it identify the position you are applying for, if you obtained it from an ad or Internet posting? Use the exact ID from the ad. | ||||||
| Does it state why you are seeking employment? | ||||||
| Does it identify your career objectives, if they aren’t in the resume’? | ||||||
| Does it identify those skills you posses that match the skills identified in the ad? This should be tailored to the specific job requirements stated in the ad. (Sometimes a side-by-side comparison table is effective) | ||||||
| Does it describe who you are, rather than what you have done? | ||||||
| Does it state why you are uniquely qualified for the position? | ||||||
| Does it sell? | ||||||
| Does it ask for the intervieew? | ||||||
| Your Searching | ||||||
| Have you set a goal of n resumes sent out per day or week? | ||||||
| Are you achieving your goal of n resumes sent out per day or week? | ||||||
| Do you have a list of at least 10 good job sites on the Internet? | ||||||
| Do you check for new postings at least twice a week at every job site? (Every day is BETTER!) | ||||||
| Do you avail yourself of county or state job assist programs? | ||||||
| Have you contacted several recruiters to help you in your search? | ||||||
| Do you search through on-line newspaper want ads in your targeted area at least twice per week? | ||||||
| Your Follow-Up | YES | NEEDS WORK | NOT-SO-GOOD | |||
| Do you keep a copy of every ad/posting you respond to? | ||||||
| Do you record every response you receive to a job ad/posting? | ||||||
| Do you record the results of any calls or other correspondence relative to the position? | ||||||
| If you have not received a response within a week, do you follow up with a phone call or e-mail? | ||||||
| Do you do a periodic review (Every 2-4 weeks) of all your applications & correspendence, to see if there are any that should be re-visited? | ||||||
| Your Networking | ||||||
| Do you attend North Side’s Career Care meetings as often as possible? | ||||||
| Have you contacted former work associates/ bosses to check in? | ||||||
| Do you extend your job searching to casual contacts while shopping or doing other activities? (E.G. Ask “How’s business?”, “Is so and so hiring?”, “Do you know anyone who is hiring?”) | ||||||
| Your Interview Skills | ||||||
| Have you come up with, and mentally practised your “Elevator Speech” (You happen to ride up in the elevator with the V.P. of the hiring area, and you have 3 minutes between the first and the 15th floor to give her a capsule summary of your experience and value to her company) | ||||||
| If there are areas where you feel your resume’ is “thin” or have delicate issues of some type, have you come up with a concrete response to questions about it? | ||||||
| Do you put aside bitterness (about being laid off, for instance) and defensiveness (about a layoff, a spotty resume, a gap in employment) when you have an interview? | ||||||
| Do you focus not on what the company can offer you (Salary, benefits, vacation, stock plans), but what you can do for the company? | ||||||
| If the location implies a long commute or a relocation, do you have firmly in your mind what your position is about that? | ||||||
| Do you know what your response will be to the inevitable “What are your salary requirements?” | ||||||
| Have you done a mock interview with a friend or a Career Care counselor? | ||||||
| Your Dress | ||||||
| Do you dress professionally whenever you are “out and about” and might encounter networking opportunities or potential employers? (You may feel “down and out”, but you shouldn’t dress like it) | ||||||
| Do you dress professionally for an interview? (Suit for all salaried positions, business casual for all others) | ||||||
| Your finances | YES | NEEDS WORK | NOT-SO-GOOD | |||
| Have you established a budget of all recurring and potential non-recurring expenses? | ||||||
| Have you forecast your out-of-work income (Unemployment comp., odd jobs, other) over the next 2-6 months? | ||||||
| Have you reviewed potential expense cuts with your spouse and other family members? | ||||||
| Do you compare expenses against your budget at least monthly? | ||||||
| Do you have a financial counselor or wise godly friend with whom you can discuss problems and issues? | ||||||
| Your Relationship with God | ||||||
| Do you go to the Lord on a daily basis? | ||||||
| Do you try to read scripture or have a devotional on a daily basis? | ||||||
| Your Prayers for a Job | ||||||
| Do you ask God specifically for a job you want? | ||||||
| Do you ask God for help in meeting your financial needs? | ||||||
