If you’ve been on a job search, but haven’t been able to find a position yet, there are some tactics you should review.
It’s important to stop and look at your job search history and figure out what is working and what isn’t working. By reviewing the past six months of your job search history, you may be better able to asses and diagnose your situation while pinpointing specific job search areas you need to work on.
According to an article by the Cleveland Examiner, there are three main parts of the job search you should review.
The first thing to review is time. Many job seekers simply haven’t put in enough time on a regular basis to make any progress, whether they’re busy with schoolwork, a current job or other activities. Many job seekers also fear the job search process and tend to put off the necessary tasks of working on a resume, networking or practicing interview skills. Other job seekers may simply underestimate just how long a job search can take.
“Unfortunately, time management isn’t one of those issues that we can slap a band aid on to fix,” the article notes. “We each have 168 hours in a week to spend however we choose. Do you choose to spend a chunk of that time on your job search and career … or not? The choice is yours, and nobody can make the job search a priority – a top priority – but you.”
Another important thing to look at is interviews. While time management may not be a problem, you simply may not be chosen for a lot of interviews. This could mean a variety of things, whether your resume needs work, you need to broaden your channels of distribution or reconsider the type of work you’re applying for.
“Are you applying for everything and anything out there– even if you really don’t have the background or experience?” the article continues “Or, consider the fact that you may be overshooting, applying for jobs for which you really aren’t qualified.
“For instance, you may be seeking opportunities with top tier consulting firms (who typically consider everything about your academic, professional history) despite the fact that you’ve got low GMAT scores,” the article adds. “If this is you, ask yourself if you’re applying for jobs for which you are legitimately qualified and where you really have an honest shot.”
If you’ve learned to manage your time and are getting interviews, the next thing to review is the offers you’re receiving. In order to get an offer, it’s important to show your enthusiasm, expertise and confidence during an interview. An easy way of monitoring your skills is to videotape a practice interview and get comments on your overall attitude, dress and mannerisms.
It’s also important to be able to fully explain your resume, and you should be able to tell a story about each item on your resume. If you’re still having trouble receiving offers, you can ask previous interviewers for feedback.
