Conclusion–Job Search Lessons Learned: 12 Key Take-Aways

That’s a wrap. You have made it to the end of the Job Search Lessons Learned series. As you can see, there is a lot to do in regards to in regards to your next opportunity. In this series, I delivered my lessons learned in regards to social media, networking, the résumé, applying, interviewing, and more. My hope is that you do not make the same mistakes that I have. If  you avoid them, then this was a success. The biggest take away that I came to the conclusion on is to think of yourself as an entrepreneur, and the product and service you are selling and marketing is yourself. That is how you need to approach your career. Whether in reality, you are a W2 employee, a contractor, a consultant, or an entrepreneur, you need to have that mindset.

Professional Assistance–Job Search Lessons Learned: 12 Key Take-Aways (12)

I will be transparent with you. After about six (6) months of actively looking, I really was starting to wonder what I was doing wrong. All this time spent trying to learn the new, proper way of doing things. The follow-ups. The tweaks to the résumé and cover letters. I had nothing to show for it except for a long list of jobs applied in the wrong status. So, I decided I needed some professional assistance. I looked into free résumé critiquing, résumé writing, headhunters, and even career coaching.

Interview–Job Search Lessons Learned: 12 Key Take-Aways (11)

Your due diligence has paid off, you have an interview. Congratulations! This could be a phone interview, video, or in-person. Remember, this is not only them interviewing you, but you interviewing them. You both have done as much due diligence as you can prior to the interview, but this is when you really get to know each other.

If you get a choice in scheduling, aim for 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. It is the sweet spot because you want to:

• Avoid Mondays and Fridays, employees are either recovering from the weekend or prepping for it. By the same token, avoid the first or last slots of any workday.
• Avoid lunchtime. If it is right before, you and your interviewer may be too hungry to concentrate, If it is immediately after, both of you may be in a food coma.

Applying–Job Search Lessons Learned: 12 Key Take-Aways (10)

Finally! After nine (9) steps you are ready to start applying for the job of your dreams. Welcome to your new part-time job. If you have a job, and you are looking for a new one, you want to spend about five (5) to ten (10) hours a week networking and applying. If you do not have a job currently, welcome to your new full-time, 40-hour work week. We are going to be pulling out of the tools in our job search toolbox and get to work. What will you need?

• Résumé Information
• Résumé
• Tracking

Let’s get started.

Networking and Referrals–Job Search Lessons Learned: 12 Key Take-Aways (09)

“It’s not what you know, it is who you know.”

This comes up twice in this series. That is how important networking is. Wait, is there an echo in here? Well, this is different from before. Now, you are an active job seeker, which means you have to ramp up your network activity and turn those connections into referrals. This article, and the next article, Applying, are done in parallel with each other.

In this article, I will cover the network interaction before and during the application process. In the Applying article, I will specifically touch on the applying and follow-up process.

Did you know that most jobs aren’t posted or advertised publicly? It is hard for me to wrap my head around that sometimes. When you search for “Project Manager” on a job board, there are hundreds of returns. Think of all the ones that do not come up.