Get Your Job Search Organized
by C.J. Hayden
Published on this site: September 20th, 2005 - See
more articles from this month
What was the name of the manager you met at last month's
business mixer? Did you ever follow up on the application
you mailed two weeks ago? Which version of your résumé
is the most recent one without the typos? If you're asking
yourself questions like these, your job search could benefit
from some organization.
The typical job search can generate a daunting stack of paper
and a backlog of communications from many channels at once.
If you are actively looking for work, you may quickly find
yourself buried in multiple versions of your résumé,
copies of cover letters, clippings and printouts of job listings,
business cards from people you have met, e-mails sent and
received, bookmarked web pages, phone messages, flyers for
networking events, and much more.
To keep all these essential job search components organized,
here's what you will need:
- Calendar - You'll need to keep track of appointments,
when you sent out résumés or placed phone
calls, and what date you should be following up with people
you speak to. Use whatever system works best for your personal
style: a pocket datebook, a PDA (e.g. Palm Pilot), or task
management software on your computer (e.g. Outlook) are
all appropriate choices.
- Contact Manager - To take full advantage of your
personal connections, you will want to maintain a list of
everyone you speak with about your job search, along with
their complete contact information, when you last spoke,
and what you discussed. Contact management software such
as Outlook or ACT! is one option, but you can also use a card file,
notebook, or large address book.
- Filing System - On your computer, set up a special
folder to hold all your job search materials, and create
sub-folders to help you find items quickly. Be sure to give
all your documents distinct names. Instead of simply "Resume," for example, you might use names like
"Resume updated with feedback from Ken" or "Resume
sent to Marshall Co" to identify different versions.
For your e-mail, use the same idea to save copies of e-mails
you send or receive in separate folders in your e-mail system.
You might create one folder for all your job search correspondence,
or if you are a heavy e-mail user, add sub-folders for each
prospective employer or opportunity. Also use a folder to
organize bookmarked web pages, such as job postings you
check regularly.
With paper documents and clippings, the type of system you
choose should depend on whether your job search needs to
be mobile. File folders in a drawer or standing file work
well if you will always be conducting your job search in
the same location. If your job search needs to travel, a
better solution might be a three-ring binder with dividers
or an accordion file with several pockets.
- Task List - You'll need a way to keep track of
what may seem like an endless list of things to do. Appointments
and notes to follow up on a certain date can be put in your
calendar, but you'll also need a way to track tasks with
no date assigned as well as daily or weekly activities.
Some PDA's and contact or task management software offer this
feature, or you can keep your master task list in a document
on your computer, in a notebook, or on a bulletin board
or whiteboard.
Once you have set up a system to organize your job search,
you'll need to remember to use it. Get in the habit of making
entries in your calendar or contact manager immediately, rather
than saving them up for later. When you print documents, open
postal mail, or receive e-mails, file them right away, making
a note of any action you need to take on your task list. Don't
try to use a pile of paper as your reminder.
One technique that can help to keep your job search visibly
organized is creating a "job wall." Dedicate some
wall space or the back of a door to your job search and post
a large calendar, list of job postings to check regularly,
events to attend, people to talk to, and important tasks you want to
keep in mind. Use sticky notes to highlight important deadlines
or projects. You could also keep the same material in a three-ring
binder prominently displayed on your desk.
Whatever organization system you choose, find a way to keep
your job search activities constantly in front of you and
check your to-do list often. If everything you need is buried
in a drawer, a pile, or your briefcase, your job search won't
get as much attention.
C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Hired Now! and Get Clients
Now! Since 1992, she has helped thousands of professionals
make a better living doing what they love. C.J. is a Master
Certified Coach who leads workshops internationally - in
person, on the phone, and on the web. Find out more about
C.J. and get a free copy of "How to Find a Job in 28
Days or Less" at http://www.gethirednow.com
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