How you approach your job search depends on the purpose for your search. What are your goals? Are you looking for advancement? Have you been laid off and timing is a factor? Are you a career changer looking for that first crossover job?
Your job search strategy will likely combine both proactive and response-based job search approaches.
Proactive Job Search
- Identify employment targets and follow a strategy to achieve them
- Identify where you would like to work and position yourself as an ideal candidate
- Advantages:
- focused skills and experience acquisition
- development of key contacts
- Disadvantages:
- the process seems longer
- Get Started:
- Select industries, locations, occupations and employers that interest you; start with between 4 and 7 targets
- Research them to identify which have the highest probability of hire for you, based on your capabilities and preferences
- Use secondary research, as well as asking advice through your network; revise and clarify your target list as more information becomes available
- Identify prospect organizations, become clear on the capabilities you need, and develop professional relationships with contacts in your target organizations
- When job openings are posted, you already have the qualifications and background information you need to write a powerful resume and cover letter