Every year, people make New Year’s resolutions like setting the intention to lose weight or stop smoking. They may join a gym but often by the end of the month, the resolution has been broken and another year passes with little to show for their wish.
I want you to make job search resolutions and goals for yourself whether you are actively looking for a job or not. These goals will not take a lot of time (no more than 15 minutes each) but can pay huge dividends now and for years to come.
1. Every three months, write down what you did during the previous 3 months.
Take 10 minutes to write down what you did that quarter. Doing so will make updating your resume a breeze. It will also make preparing for your performance review easy in case that recently hired manager you now report to questions your accomplishments during the preceeding year.
2. Update your LinkedIn profile
Too often, people only update their LinkedIn profile when they decide to look for a job. But you may miss out on an opportunity because your profile is not up-to-date. Using the information you wrote down from my first resolution; take a few minutes every three months to update your profile. Recruiters are looking for people on LinkedIn aggressively. Make sure you make your role, responsibilities and accomplishments apparent to them by keeping your profile up-to-date.
3. Be nice to recruiters when they contact you.
Are you really that happy with your job that if someone offered you an opportunity to earn more money and do more interesting and challenging work you would treat them like a pariah?
I find it ridiculous that job hunters treat corporate and third party recruiters as poorly as they do.
If one of them reaches you at a bad time, all you have to say is, “This isn’t a convenient time; would you call me at . . . and then offer a date and time where you can be available to speak.
4. Do a little networking
Reconnect with someone you’ve lost touch with or do something to stay in contact with people you know professionally.
Attend a trade conference, a business networking meeting, a trade group, a special interest group meeting . . . something.
Do something to extend your professional reach!
5. Think!
Take time every three months to actually think about how things are actually going and where you want to take your career.
And, if you are really feeling ambitious.
Take the information that you wrote down about what you did that quarter to update your actual resume so that when an opportunity presents itself, you are ready to submit your resume.
Statistics show that 50% of all positions are filled by individuals whose resumes arrive within the first two weeks of a position being listed. 75% are filled by people whose resumes are submitted in the first month.
You might not even hear about a job right away meaning firms are already evaluating a lot of potential employees while you are updating your resume.
Why lose an opportunity through lack of preparedness?
As you can see, almost all of these items require little time from you. More than anything, they require you to schedule an appointment with yourself to do these things.
Put them in your calendar today.
© The Big Game Hunter, Inc. Asheville, NC 2012
