Job Hunting Do’s and Don’ts

The other day I was chatting with a friend who recently lost her job.  She started her job search the day after her position ended but has not, as of yet, found a new position.  So I decided to ask her some questions about her job search and the tactics she was using. She, like many others, uses one or two job posting site and just submits resume after resume after resume – never really stopping to take the time to read the job description let alone find out anything about the company.  Seriously, why bother?  Why waste your precious time submitting your resume without doing your research?  When I asked, she indicated that she had submitted twenty-five resumes in just a few hours!  Insane.  In the case of your job search, less is certainly better.
Searching on the Internet is a great way to find jobs.  Ten years ago, if you tried to search for a job on the Internet, nine chances out of ten it was a scam.  However, today, most companies realize that the way to find qualified candidates is to use the Internet – to post jobs on sites such as Phillyjobs.com or Beyond.com.

Do 

• Have a plan before you start your search.  Decide on the type of job (i.e. temp, contract, permanent fulltime and so on), location and industry.
• Review your resume!  Make sure it is up to date.  Remember – you have less than 30 seconds to make that first impression.  Use action verbs on your resume and try to avoid using any first person comments, i.e. those starting with I.
• Make sure that you include your contact information when you apply for a job.  
• Check the message on your answering machine.  Is it professional?  
• Check your resume along with the job description to ensure your resume has the necessary keywords as described in the job posting.  Many companies use software to scan resumes looking for keywords.  If your resume is lacking – in the trash it goes.
• Treat your job search like a real job.  Get up at a designated time and follow your morning routine as if you were going to work.  Set up a schedule for each day and keep it.  
• Keep records of the companies you have contacted.  It will not look good, on you, if you send your resume more than once for the same job/company.  It is possible that you will find the same posting for the same company on more than one search site which is why it pays to keep meticulous records.  From experience, I have found that a simple spreadsheet will do the trick.
• Do print out a copy of the job posting for each job.  This way you will have the email address and all of the information you need on the posting.  
• Do follow-ups.  This step can’t be stressed enough.  If you are really interested in the job, follow up.  If you only have the email address for the job posting – send your follow-up email to that address and indicate that you are requesting updated information on the posting and your resume.  Or, you could research the company and find an email address – usually for the Human Resources Department.  Of course even better than a follow-up email would be a follow-up phone call and the ultimate would be an in-person visit to the company.   Make sure you update your spreadsheet with the date of the follow-up as well as the contact and any response you might receive.
• Be proactive!  Many job seekers will create an account and maybe set up an alert or two and then sit back and wait for jobs to come to them.  Well, several years ago you might have been able to do this but not in today’s world of high unemployment.  Alerts are great but if you are truly interested in finding a job, search, search and then search again.
• Read the newspaper every day to find out what is happening in the employment market in your local area.  The newspaper is a wonderful source to find out which companies in your area might be experiencing growth.  Typically growth means employment.
• Search for blogs in your area of expertise.  Another great way to find out what is happening in your industry and who knows – you might even stumble upon the job of your dreams.
• Check out some of the local staffing and temporary agencies in your area. 

Don’t 

• Submitting resumes just to submit them is like playing the lottery.  Those who play the lottery figure that the more tickets they buy, the better their chances to win.  The odds pretty much stay the same no matter how many tickets you buy.  The same is true in the world of job searching.  Submitting resumes to every posting in hopes that one of them will get noticed is a waste of your time as well as the person receiving the thousands of resumes for that one job posting.  Therefore, make sure you are really interested in the job before you submit your resume.
• Don’t think that just because you created an account on a job posting site that a company is going to contact you.  Not going to happen!
• Don’t submit a resume without reading and re-reading the job posting to make you are qualified for the position.
• Don’t limit yourself to one or two job posting sites.  So many job seekers will create an account on some known site and figure that is good enough. 
• Don’t limit yourself by searching jobs by job title.  Companies use different keywords/titles so you might not be viewing all possibilities.  A good example of this is one I came across the other day for a “First Impressions Specialist” – in other words, a receptionist.  If you searched by title “receptionist”, you would miss this posting!
• Don’t expect to get a job by tomorrow!  Maybe if you have very unique skills you might but for the majority of job seekers, the search is going to take time.

The economy is starting to recover somewhat and companies are loosening the purse strings by adding new jobs.  Unfortunately, this is not going to happen overnight.  If you have been job hunting and are not getting any nibbles – check your strategies; re-check your resume; re-think how you are conducting your search… maybe you need to make some changes.  Expand your search criteria; network with family and friends; consider using social media such as FaceBook or Twitter and check out sources other than the Internet.  If you have your heart set on working for a particular company, go there in person. Job searching on the Internet is fine but you should limit it to about 30% of your overall job search endeavors. Many companies have job openings that are not posted on the Internet.  Don’t forget to check out temporary agencies and staffing agencies as they may be your way to get a foot in the door.  Bottom line – keep on keeping on!

-Nancy Anderson, SEO Analyst for the Traffic Department at Beyond.com. Nancy has been working with Beyond since 2002. Prior to Beyond, Nancy worked as a business systems analyst at HNC Software, Inc and completed a twenty year career in the US Navy – retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. She enjoys spending time with her beautiful daughter and three incredible granddaughters.