My goal is to encourage you to spend hours just identifying job opportunities. At least 10 good ones.
First, Learn How. Take the time to go to each search engine’s “How To” section and learn how to do great advanced job searches. It will save you time and help you find the right jobs for you. Many job-related websites offer “personal job agents” that can help automate your job search. Tell these agents (not real people) what type of job you’re looking for and then the agent will send you an email whenever something opens up in your field.
The quality of these so-called agents varies widely, with some sites offering little more than per-category RSS feeds. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, an XML-based standard and format used to distribute recent news and other frequently updated content. Other sites charge a bit of money and may even claim to have an actual human doing the work for you.
Two Big Tricks
1. Don’t just apply when you see something. Copy the opportunity into your CTC Job Tracker and keep hunting for more opportunities. Searching for opportunities and applying are two different activities, and job seekers make mistakes when they try to multitask.
2. When you go to each source, you need to refer to your goal and identify the best jobs for you. By “best,” you need to consider three things:
a. Are you qualified? Do you have most of the skills that the job description asks for? Remember, nobody has all of the skills, so don’t worry if you have skill gaps. Your next job will be a great opportunity to learn something new and we will address those gaps head-on in Chapter 15.
b. What do you desire? What day-to-day functions do you want to do going forward? How do you want to spend 8 hours a day? What kind of work do you want to avoid?
c. Does it meet your personal criteria? Geographically, can you get to and from work, or can you afford to move on your own, if needed? Rule: don’t apply for something that you would need to decline if you get an offer. Best of luck!
