How To Figure Out What Your Job Search Goal Is
1. Narrow down your Job Goal. Do research about possible functions, occupations, vocations, etc.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
https://www.bls.gov/audience/jobseekers.htm
- Go to job search websites such as Indeed.com, Monster.com, etc. Don’t apply to anything! Just shop. Don’t even worry about the city right now. Find 10 positions or job descriptions that you see yourself not only qualified for, but something that gets you excited. Spend hours reading the entire descriptions, including the skills they are looking for, the tasks you would be doing, and what other requirements they need.
- Print 10 jobs you find. Circle keywords of things in common. Are they all positions that help others (customer service), or that sell something, or that need a lot of analysis? Are they all in big corporations or small start-ups?
- Identify the functions, occupations, or vocations you see yourself being a part of from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (or whatever the job hours are). You will be applying to join a team, even if you are working alone. Where do other people work who are doing what you want to do?
- If you are searching within your own company, find jobs on their career site and, ultimately, be able to narrow down to specific positions in specific divisions. When internal job seekers come to me for coaching within my own company and say they are not sure what they want to do next, I advise them to go and talk to people about what they do. Ultimately, they should be able to name individuals, such as, “I want a job like Mark Smith has.”
2. Borrow or buy books on career selection. The web has a variety of resources as well. Joe, who didn’t know what he wanted to do next, told me, “It was a copy of What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles that saved me. I poured through it and the workbook, completing all the exercises, and it worked.”
