Creating your job search plan

Creating Your
Job Search Plan
© Christian HELP Foundation, inc 2010

Getting Organized
• Today’s job search is competitive and requires a higher
level of organization and persistence. People who once
had recruiters pursuing them are now finding they have
to pursue the recruiters. Blue collar jobs are now
requiring online applications. The dynamics of the
search have changed.
• If you have not applied for unemployment you can do so
online at www.floridajobs.org/unemployment .
• Make sure you have a professional e-mail address
yourname@ymail.com, yourname@gmail.com . Below
is an example from www.gmail.com. Hit create an
account to start.

Getting Organized
Use your name, if possible as your e-mail
address it is professional and easy to
remember.
Write down your e-mail address and
password somewhere safe. (Your
job search log is a good place)
Pick a security question you can
answer if you forget your password.

What Kind of Job?
• Do a skills inventory
• If you are not sure what type of job you are looking for or need
to change careers, use free websites such as
www.livecareer.com and www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-
win/JTypes2.asp to help you determine what types of jobs to
apply for.
• Make sure your resume is up to date and error free
• If you don’t have a computer, make sure you have a memory
stick or an e-mail folder accessible on the web.
Passionate
about
Skills, Abilities Know how,
rather not

Create a Job Search Log
• Create a log for your user names and passwords for online
applications. Include where you applied, the date you applied,
contact information, web address, and follow up information. You
can also use a notebook or planner. See sample below:
Date Website User Name Password Contact Name E-mail Phone Follow Up Comments

Plan your Job Search
• Plan your time each day- looking for a job is your job. Below is a
sample calendar. Adapt for your needs. Networking groups may be
in the morning or evening times. Include time for interviews, skills
classes, informational meetings, and other job search activities.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:00 Research Research Research Research Volunteer
9:00 Apply Online Apply Online Apply Online Apply Online Volunteer
12:00 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
1:00 Networking Networking Networking Networking Networking
2:00 Networking Networking Networking Networking Networking
3:00 Follow up Follow up Follow up Follow up Follow up
4:00 Follow up Follow up Follow up Follow up Follow up
5:00 Preparation Preparation Preparation Preparation Preparation

Important Job Search Tips
• Make sure your e-mail and voicemail are
professional.
• If you are applying in person, every contact
matters.
• Get dressed every day. It helps keep you on
track.
• Keep a positive attitude/outlook no matter how
frustrated you are.
• Use all available resources- Newspaper, online
job boards, job fairs, networking, social media.

Cover Letters
• Don’t listen to anyone who says you don’t need a cover letter. Not
having a cover letter is like not being fully dressed for an event. A
cover letter introduces your resume to the reader and can fill in any
gaps from your resume. It is also another great tool to help you
optimize your resume for online applications.
• Important tips for cover letters:
• Just like a resume spell check and grammar check your letter.
• Customize each letter to the employer. If you can get a name to
address it to even better. If you have the name, but are not sure of
the gender leave it off. Mr. Kris Smith might just be Ms. Kris Smith.
• NEVER use text speak. I would like to meet u. Is not acceptable.
• You may copy and paste your cover letter into an e-mail, but add it
as an attachment as well.
• For both resumes and cover letters .doc is the best format. Not
everyone can open .pdf and .docx.

Cover Letter
• Address Block- Include your contact information and try to find a
contact if possible. Linkedin and Google are great resources for
information. Linkedin now has a company search feature you can
use to see who works at a company and what their titles are.
• Introductory Paragraph- This paragraph should tell the hiring
manager how you heard about the position and indicate why you
believe you are a great fit for the job.
• Body Paragraphs- Use this area to elaborate on their requirements
and what your experience will bring to their organization.
Remember to keep this employer focused. It is also a good area to
explain why you are still a great candidate if you do not meet all of
the requirements. For example, if you have 20 years of experience
and were promoted through the ranks but do not have a degree, this
is the area where you can explain how your experience qualifies you
for the position.
• Closing Paragraph- Use this paragraph to emphasize your
qualifications and ask for an interview.

Resumes
• There are many opinions on resumes out
there. The resume itself is a tool used to
introduce you and your experience to a
potential employer. An interview can
happen through networking before a
resume is ever exchanged or a resume
may be a ticket in the door to the interview.
Either way, the resume must be a great
first impression when it arrives.

Resumes
There are several types of Resumes people use:
• Chronological- This traditional style of resume generally includes
an objective, a list of employment history from most current to
furthest back, education, and any honors or additional training.
• Functional- This type of resume has been used for career
transitions and to cover any “red flags” or gaps in employment. It is
not preferred by employers.
• Skills Based- This type of resume is a combination of Chronological
and Functional resumes and has become very popular with the
advent of online applications. This type of resume allows for
maximizing keywords to be read by online software.
• Curriculum Vitae- This type of resume is generally used by
academia and is much longer than traditional resumes.

Resumes
Dissecting Resumes:
• Objective- This is a statement about what you would like the resume to achieve.
Many people are leaving this off and using a summary instead. If you choose to
include an objective it must be well written and focus on what you will bring to the
employer not what you expect them to do for you.
• Synopsis or Summary of Qualifications- This can be a summary paragraph or a
series of bullet points. It should be easily read and describe what you bring to the
table in 10 seconds or less.
• Skills- This can be a bullet point list or combined throughout the resume within the
summary and employment history. This is crucial for resume keyword optimization.
• Employment History- Employment history should be chronological with the most
recent job on top. It can also be divided by related and other work history depending
on the job you are applying for and the variety of jobs you have held. This area
should include company name, dates of employment including months and years, job
title, a brief overview statement and bullet points of notable achievements and
responsibilities.
• Education- List highest education achieved or in progress, no further back than high
school.
• Certifications and Achievements- any professional certifications or achievements
are listed in this area.

Resumes
Actions speak loudest:
• Recruiters and Hiring Managers should be able to tell what type of
job you are applying for.
• Resumes should not be a checklist of your day to day work
• Highlight achievements- this is your brag sheet
• How did you save the company money or meet or exceed goals?
Did you make a process easier? Was your turnover low? Did you
provide outstanding service?
• Use action words to describe your activities
The length debate:
• Entry level should be one page
• Mid-level to Executive should be 2 pages. (Mid-level can be one)

Resumes
Keywords are Key to being notices in Cyberspace:
• When resumes are “read” by online programs they seek
out keywords from the job description and find matches
in your resume and cover letter.
• Take the job description and highlight all of the skills,
knowledge, and abilities you have and add them in to
your resume.
• It is important that you only include skills you have, but
you can use your cover letter to explain if you are
missing something they require. For example: Job
requires a Bachelors Degree and you have 25 years of
experience and an AA Degree. You could say “While I
have not achieved a Bachelor’s Degree, I feel strongly
my 25 years of experience qualifies me for this position.”

Online Application Secrets
• Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a one-size fits all online
application? Unfortunately, there are hundreds of
different systems and they are tailored to the needs of
the employer. This application system may save time for
an employer by allowing them to take in thousands of
resumes and have the computer system make a “best
match”.
• It is important to complete the application from start to
finish. Each system may be different as to whether or
not it can be saved. Make sure you have enough time to
finish the application once it is started.

Online Application Secrets
• There are 3 P’s to online applications Preparedness, Patience, and
Persistence.
• Preparedness: Before you start, make sure you have all of your
information readily available. Keep a copy of your resume on a
memory stick, in your e-mail, or on your computer. This will help
with copying and pasting or uploading if required. Phone numbers
and addresses of previous employers and references may be
required.
• Patience: Online applications can be long and frustrating. Do not
take shortcuts because you just want to get done or because you
are bored with the process.
• Persistence: Persistence is in here because when we wrote the
curriculum for our online application class we were booted out, timed
out, and overall frustrated with the process of online applications. If
you really want the job, you must be willing to complete the process.
Think of it as your first test.

Pre-Screening
• Speaking of tests, many applications have a screening
process. I like the ones who put it at the front of the
application vs. the ones you have to go through all the
steps and then it kicks you out.
• The screening process generally looks for your
propensity towards certain behaviors and your
consistency in answering the questions. Some examples
of behaviors they are looking for are: ability to get along
with supervisor and co-workers, dependability, theft, drug
use, and likelihood of on the job injury.
• My advice for these screenings is simple- USE
COMMON SENSE.

NETWORKING- More than an
excuse to get out of the house
• Connect to networking groups- http://cfec.org has
several listed. Career Management Network has a
calendar of networking events job seekers can get
involved with.
• Network with professionals in your field. Some
organizations like SHRM are temporarily waving fees for
the unemployed HR Professionals. You may also be
able to volunteer in lieu of paying fees at some events.
• Volunteering is a way to keep skills fresh. Some
professional candidates worry that volunteering takes up
their job search time, but in reality it could lead to
connections leading to a job.

Social Media
• Networking is still the way to get jobs.
Social media includes websites such as
http://linkedin.com; http://facebook.com;
and http://twitter.com. There are also great
opportunities to network on
http://meetup.com .

Telephone Interviews
• Telephone interviews are the gateway to in
person interviews. It is crucial you are prepared
for the recruiter to call. Also known as a pre-
screen interview, the telephone interview gives
the recruiter clues about you before having you
come in and take their time and the time of the
hiring manager.
• When you send out your resume expect that you
may get a call. Even though not every resume
submission results in an interview, it is important
you are prepared when it does.

Important Phone Interview Reminders:
• Make sure you have a professional answering machine message. If
you do not want to put your name on the message, put your phone
number. For example, “You have reached xxx-xxx-xxxx, we are
currently unavailable to answer the phone, please leave a detailed
message with your name and number and we will return your call at
our earliest convenience.” This way the recruiter will know they are
leaving a message at the right number.
• DO NOT have funny or offensive messages or long rap songs as
your message when you are job searching. They may result in
missed opportunities.
• Try to keep your resume and log near the phone. This will help you
if the recruiter asks questions about your resume. If you have
company research notes, that will help you event more.

• Try to take the call in a quiet area. Yelling at your kids or
over the TV does not give a first impression.
• DO NOT answer the other line and put the recruiter on
hold unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Be prepared by practicing interview questions before the
calls come. If you can be articulate and answer the
questions asked, your opportunity for an in-person
interview goes up dramatically. See interview section for
some common interview questions.
• Recently, I have seen people hired as a result of phone
interviews and e-mail conversations without an in-person
interview. This may be your only chance at the job,
make it count!

Interviewing
• Interviewing is one of the most nerve wracking parts of the job
search, but necessary for getting a job. This is your chance to
showcase yourself and convince the employer you are right for the
job.
• Some important interviewing tips:
• Arrive on time. It is good to be there a few minutes early, but no
more than 15 minutes before your scheduled time. Take a “dry run”
the day before to make sure you know where the location is and
how long it will take you to get there.
• Dress Professionally. For men a dark suit with a solid shirt and tie,
for women a dark skirt or pants suit is best. If the job is in a casual
environment, khaki’s and a polo shirt or a nice blouse for women is
appropriate. Shoes should be cleaned and polished.
• Limit cologne and perfume use.
• http://Lisamaileseminars.com has great tips on professional dress
and interviewing.

Interviewing
• EVERY contact matters. HR professionals are known to have lunch with
the receptionist. Make sure you are polite to everyone you meet. Strike up
a conversation about the company and culture if you have the opportunity.
• Remember to leave all of your problems at home. The interviewer is not a
counselor and does not want to hear about all the reasons you might not be
a good employee. They are looking for the best possible fit.
• Research the company before you arrive. Know the history, any projects
they are working on, and anything that might be newsworthy.
• Have questions prepared in advance about the company, the typical day,
expectations, etc. Leave Benefits and salary to the second interview unless
the interviewer brings them up. Ask about the next steps in the process and
ALWAYS ask for the job if you are interested. You can say something to the
effect of “This certainly seems like a great place to work. I would love to be
part of your team. What is the next step in the process?”

Interviewing
Types of Interviews:
• Open ended questions: The interviewer asks a series of questions
which are open ended and waits for answers. In most cases these
are not yes or no questions. The responses from the questions will
lead the interviewer to the next set of questions.
• Behavioral interviews: This is becoming the most popular line of
questioning for interviewing. The interviewer asks a series of
questions asking about a situation or task, the action taken, and the
results of that action. For example: “Tell me about a time when you
had an irate customer screaming at you, how did you handle it, and
what was the result.” The interviewer is looking for past behaviors in
order to predict future results.
• Panel Interviews: Panel interviews are done by several people at
one time. These interviews can be quite stressful and feel like and
interrogation. This gives the interviewing team a chance to observe
your answers together and compare notes. The panel interviews are
generally done for management positions and above.

Thank you
• The art of saying thank you should never be lost. Make
sure you thank your interviewer at the time of the
interview.
• Once you leave the interview write down all the things
you wish you had said and forgot and/or things you feel
the need to re-emphasize.
• Write a thank you letter to the interviewer(s) and include
information from the notes you took when you left. This
is a great opportunity to add anything you might have
missed in the interview.
• Sending a thank you note will set you apart. Written is
best, but e-mail is good when there is a short decision
window.

Follow up
• Many people are afraid to follow up, but it is harder to
say no to you in person or on the phone than to a piece
of paper.
• Calling is fine (unless the ad specifies no phone calls),
but stalking is not. Be careful about how often you follow
up.
• Ask permission to follow up in a certain amount of time
(a few days to a week) after the interview.
• If you do not get the job, but are still interested, write a
letter thanking the interviewer for their time and letting
them know that if any other openings come up you are
interested. Include any impressions you had of the
company.

Creating your job search plan

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