Yikes! I've Got to Get a Job: 6 Steps to an Efficient Job Search

INTRODUCTION TO THE 6-STEP PROCESS

The 6-Step Process begins in Step 1: Career and Skills Assessment to help you understand the value of what you bring to market. You will define and list your experiences, competencies, and skills. We discuss career direction ideas there as well.

In Step 2: The Resume, together, we develop a great resume. I follow a tried-and-true format that is friendly to the latest screening technologies. It will be designed and written to motivate human resource (HR) job screeners to call you. I’ll educate you on how to connect the resume to the job description. This compels them to want to call you. You will be packaged as a highly qualified candidate. Proper resume writing increases the odds of you getting a phone screen call, the precursor to an online (i.e. Teams Call) or in-person interview. The interview is your opportunity to earn an offer.

After writing your resume, the natural progression leads to Step 3: LinkedIn and Applying Online. Tips will be provided on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile. Then we will address best practices on how to apply online. LinkedIn is the number-one website searched to find talent. Whether you like social media or not, a professional profile on this site is a must for mid-career, white-collar job search. We also address many of the time-wasting traps of applying online.

Next is Step 4: Phone Screens and Interviews, where you will be coached on how to prepare for and execute them. This step will teach you methods to help you dramatically improve your effectiveness. Concepts on proper preparation and execution are outlined. At the top of the list is the critical skill of knowing how to research target companies and employees, past and present, to gain valuable insights. Questions to prepare for and questions to ask are introduced and discussed. Step four concludes with follow-up procedures and timing.

An important aspect of the job search flows through the first steps, which involve the critical review of your background and career objectives. They must align with any job [description] you pursue. You must genuinely meet the bulk of the requirements and qualifications. Your probability of success increases as your alignment with the needs of the open position improves. Conversely, you are better off searching for a better fit than applying to a position and then hoping to get a call.

Step 5: Negotiating an Offer follows with tips on how to accept and negotiate a job offer. Steps are listed on how to politely ask for additional compensation. Clearly, sensitivity to your financial situation and comfort with asking should be considered. You will be surprised how a focused approach can increase a sign-on bonus or lead to additional time off and/or some other benefit. This is your lone opportunity to establish your baseline compensation—a critical part of onboarding.

Finally, in Step 6: Networking and Helping Others, the critical nature of networking is reinforced. It is the number-one thing you must do in your job search. Speak with industry friends and associates on the phone. It is the part of your search where you connect with anyone who knows you and what you can do. Advise them that you are looking for an opportunity. People are most comfortable reaching out to former managers or subordinates where you have realized success. However, clients, vendors, division managers, and general managers all the way to presidents are potential connections—to opportunities. Friends from your Y, church, and neighborhood can help too.

There is a goal to the 6-Step Process: The big payoff. Once you land, you circle back and thank anyone who helped you. Update anyone you contacted. Share the good news! You shift the nature of the call from an appeal for help to an offer to help! A great reason for a call. This is the big payoff!

There are a lot of people looking for work. Searching for a better opportunity. People are aware of others who are looking. Offering to help now makes it easier to stay in touch and maintain your network. You will learn to enjoy networking with this mindset.

The most rewarding part of networking is getting to know and helping others. Frankly, it is why I wrote Yikes! A satisfying, pleasant sensation or natural high can be obtained from helping someone in the throes of job loss. It can be very profound. Discussing something as critical as someone’s career, giving good advice, and making connections with them can be spiritual. I find it life-fulfilling and think you will too! Sharing one or two ideas you learned can help someone else optimize their search!

What Is a Job Search?

Let us start with the basics. What is a job? It is a set of measurable deliverables that create economic value. When it becomes cost-effective for an employer to pay someone to do the work—bam—a job is created! The challenge in your job search is to let the prospective employer know you can deliver the results.

How do you find jobs? It may be obvious to use Google, Indeed.com, TheLadders.com, or a myriad of other websites, and of course, you can find many jobs listed on company websites under careers or employment opportunities. There are also listings in trade associations by industry and in the hard-copy Sunday paper of any major market. There are also resources you can access through web applications. One such site, specialized to college graduates, is Handshake. This site connects students and graduates with organizations that recruit from their educational institution. They post jobs, and the school’s career placement and career advancement teams can help with the student’s application. For that matter, any mid-career job-seeker would be wise to re-engage with their undergrad or graduate college or university’s career advancement department. They are very good resources for early or mid-career job-seekers, folks looking for a second career, or people late in their career in search of consulting opportunities.

One aspect of job search is accurately describing your experiences and skills in a package. It is done with a compelling and impactful document—the resume. It is best when the resume is aligned to a specific job. Jobs are defined by a Job Description. These include criteria described with unique keywords. Keywords are selected and used to describe the type of experiences, skills, and education the employer deem necessary for success. Though some job descriptions may be out of date, addressing what is spelled out in the description is your best way to be considered—to pass the screening filters and get a phone call.

There is a critical aspect to the job search many people gloss over. It is essential to critically evaluate how well your experience and skills meet the defined requirements. They are called requirements for a reason. The greater the alignment and match of your background to the requirements, the more likely you are to be considered. You want the chance to tell your story, but you have to be qualified to have a chance. Therefore, critical evaluation and self-reflection are a must. You must be self-aware. Many people, myself included, have fallen into the trap of taking long shots at job opportunities. This can be discouraging. You must have the right qualifications to be considered.

There are a few instances when applying to jobs where your alignment is low makes sense but only as a calculated risk. It takes precious time and energy to apply. One such exception is to get into a target company’s database. Ultimately, you may be great for another position you have not reviewed or one that is not posted yet. This scenario can occur, but the odds are low.

Along the way, I’ll highlight some important points to consider with the Yikes! Nugget banner. For example, here is the first nugget—you will need a reliable word processing platform. There are Yikes! Assignments throughout the 6-Step Process too!

Invest in Your Personal Computing Platform

If you have been released mid-career and have not upgraded your personal laptop in years, now is the time to do so. Many people currently use their company laptop and virtual private network (VPN) to work remotely. If this is you, please consider investing in a:

Laptop or a desktop

Software

Security software

Backup process

Personal VPN

Printer (3-in-1 printer, scanner, and copier—

some have fax capability too)

Stay with high-quality products but shop and learn. You should consider nothing less than a computer with an 8 gigabyte (8GB) hard-drive. Low-price printers can cost a fortune to operate once you factor in the expensive toner cartridges. You’ll need to print copies of your resume to have during interviews and for networking events – so a printer will be necessary. You may best research this on-line or visit Best Buy for some assistance – I’ve found their sales techs to be very knowledgeable.

It is best to use the Microsoft Office Suite with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. You will need all three. Word and Excel are needed for resume writing. PowerPoint, used for creating presentations (a slide deck), is also required on some interviews. VPN service is available from your internet provider or third party. Do some research but please make the move to secure your system and employ a backup routine!

For example, a marketing manager using the Yikes! process was asked to create a marketing plan for a product launch. He was asked to make this presentation in a late-round interview. This is a reasonable request—and a great opportunity to illustrate value for the position. He drafted it in PowerPoint. Our job-seeker volunteers and I reviewed the presentation for content and flow. Also, he practiced presenting it with our group. He was confident. He aced the presentation and advanced through the process.

You will need a good, cost-effective printer. The Hewlett Packard (HP) family of OfficeJet three-in-one printers are reliable; however, they can be expensive to operate. Toner cartridges are relatively expensive. For black and white resume and cover letter printing, you would be fine with an Epson EcoTank or an HP printer. Research what you need but get reliable printing capability (find the data on the cost per page). Your resume will evolve and improve over time. You will need copies available for interviews, job-seeker meetings, and networking events. You will print documents often in job search.

Those in the arts, advertising, and education industries will need industry-appropriate software. Apple (Mac) hardware and software are suitable if not necessary. In good old industrial manufacturing, where I grew up, we used personal computers (PC systems) and Microsoft products. Keep in mind Mac’s are more costly and make-up less than 15% of the market. Give a lot of thought of going in a new computing direction as job search will be stressful enough – you don’t need the complications of struggling learning the idiosyncrasies of a new computing platform.

Finally, make sure you have security software, a backup system, and a good Virtual Privare Network (VPN) for keeping things secure. You will be online a lot, and you will not have the luxury of your former employer’s IT Support Help Desk and firewall systems. You do not want a virus or malware destroying your system. Also, it is recommended to never click on a link embedded in an email from an address you do not know, recognize, or trust. They can launch destructive malware or worse viruses that can destroy your computer. I’m no IT expert, however, Andy Geremia a friend and work associate, suggests the low-cost tools such as a Google Chromebook and their free gmail email accounts which can include a free automatic back-up with the Gdrive feature. Microsoft has a 365 Plan that allows you to use the Office tools in a browser. Some of these tools can be accessed for free from a computer you would access in a library too. Some avenues to consider.

Speaking of infrastructure, here is a nugget to improve your professional reputation in your job search.

Use a Personalized Voicemail Greeting

Please add a personal greeting to your cell phone voicemail. This courtesy will ensure that people who do not have your number saved know they’ve reached you. A small, if not subliminal sign, that you are a professional.

You can personalize your voicemail greeting by accessing the voicemail button on your cell phone. Once in your voicemail menu, select Greeting. You will then be given the option of recording a custom greeting. I recommend you simply state your name. You do not need a rambling message such as, Hello, you have reached Sam Dillard’s cell phone. I am unable to answer the phone now. Leave your name, number, and a brief message. I’ll call you as soon as I am able. And please, make it a great day! They know what to do and whether they’ve reached you. Those types of greetings are not necessary and waste time. Simply state your name loud and clear. This is handy even when people do not leave a voicemail as it confirms they have the correct number. They may now choose to text you. You will make their day great by returning their call! Should you want to leave a more personalized message, do so quickly. Be respectful of the caller’s time.

The Big Payoff

Beyond getting a new job, the 6-Step Process will help you understand the importance of networking—the most important aspect of a job search and a skill to be developed over time. Ultimately, when you land your new role, as outlined in Step 6: Networking and Helping Others, you will be guided on how to thank the folks who have helped you. Part of this step is to offer your assistance should anyone in your network need help someday. Maybe those you contact know others in need of help. Heck, they may have recently downsized or terminated people from their team. Offering to share some tips and time with them will certainly endear you to them!

I know that when I’m engaged in helping others in their job search, I’m in a great place physically, mentally, and spiritually. No bad thoughts, no wasted time. It is where the good Lord wants us to operate. Giving of ourselves to help others!

The psychic income—or feel good stuff that fills your brain and body—makes the effort satisfying. This process will naturally lead you to adopt this mindset. The 6-Step Process concludes with a profound realization: You have learned a lot about the process, and you are now able to help others.

The 6-Step Process is based on personal and professional experiences and insights. These tips and ideas came from my experiences with people who have focused all or part of their career on a professional, college-educated career track. Often referred to as white-collar professions, these jobs require a resume—or a curriculum vitae (CV) in the education or research fields—when applying for a position. There is much emphasis on the resume as, in the United States, it is the commonly accepted and most often-requested job-seeker document. There is an alternate layout, known by some as a marketing brief or a one-pager, used in special circumstances that we will discuss in detail in Step 2: The Resume.

Today, even when applying to many blue-collar jobs (service jobs, vocational-skilled, or unskilled labor), the creation of a resume is a necessity. A resume organizes your career progression. It records your body of work and defines the impact you have made in these jobs or assignments. Another bonus to the resume is that you can present your background in a chronological, easy-to-read manner to help speed up the completion of an application. Turning in a resume with a job application, even for a part-time job, will position you in a better light. It is a professional move that can inspire a prospective employer to think of you beyond their immediate need. You plant the seed for advancement to a supervisory role—or a transition from blue-collar to white-collar work. Exactly what I did upon graduating college. I was a mechanic one day and then a production control/shipping and receiving supervisor the next!

Additionally, capturing your work history in an organized manner can help when discussing your background with counselors. A resume might be required by some hiring managers or a human resources department anyway, so there is value in developing one. Even factory labor, lab tech work, skilled trade, or other blue-collar positions may require a resume. I’m here to tell you—developing and writing your resume is of benefit. It will not only help you find employment, but as your career develops, it will also become a living document upon which can you build for the duration of your career. In a weird way, resumes are interesting references for family members who may someday want to write a eulogy about