Wrapping Up Your Job Search
Episode #10 of the course Conducting an effective job search by Denise C. Allen
Welcome to the final lesson of the course! It’s helpful to organize your job search materials and keep on top of your career changes as time goes on. Lesson 10 tells you what to do so you are prepared for the next time you search for a job or apply for a promotion.
What’s Your Next Move?
Unless you’ll be retiring, there will be a next move at some point in time. It may be to a new job in a new organization or a different job in the same organization. You can use your job search materials for these moves, as well as in other cases, such as when going back to school or as material used to join an organization. Keep your materials organized and easy to access so when these moments come, you can review them quickly and submit them. Your resume and cover letter template can be stored on your computer or tablet. Make a file or box for any work samples that aren’t electronic, such as artwork. When you need them, the materials are ready to go.
What’s New for You?
Before you store your job search materials, add your new job role to your resume. Put in your title, a brief job description, starting salary, and date of employment. You can always modify it at a later date.
When you complete important training, obtain a certification, achieve significant results on the job, get a degree, get a promotion, or change jobs, add the information to your resume. It’s much easier to keep the resume updated than it is to avoid it for years, then when you need your resume for an opportunity, you have to sit and think about all the things you’ve accomplished.
Let’s Review
You now have the knowledge to put together a highly effective job search. You’ve been learning to:
• Set a job search goal.
• Prepare your resume, cover letter template, and other materials.
• Search for and locate positions online, in person, through networking, and by using a professional resource.
• Complete and follow up on a job application.
• Take steps to be productive, healthy, and successful.
• Organize and prepare for the next opportunity.
Look back on the materials in this course to remind you of the many steps in an effective job hunt.
Job search is not an easy process. It takes time, makes you evaluate yourself, adds stress to your life, and can be very frustrating. On the flip side, most things in life that are rewarding aren’t easy. You can take the less focused approach to job hunting and just dive into a search without being prepared or following many of the recommendations from this course. And you might get lucky and land a position! If you don’t want to try the hit-or-miss approach or rely on luck, conduct a truly effective plan and have the best chance for the results you want.
This was the last lesson of the course. Congratulations on completing it! Now, get ready, get set, search!
Recommended book
Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett
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