| If you are currently looking for a job, here are four | | | | 2. Contact management system - if you are really |
| questions to you: | | | | active in your search (and let's assume you are!), |
| | | | probably you will need a system to keep record of all |
| 1. If company X would call you regarding your | | | | contacts you come across on events or any other |
| application, could you track back the position in less | | | | sources. You can choose among lots of systems for |
| than 1 minute? | | | | this purpose, a simple Outlook Contacts tool or Plaxo |
| 2. Did you follow up on all your applications? | | | | will do for this. |
| 3. Can you find back the names of managers you met | | | | 3. Task management system - Some people prefer to |
| at the last networking event? | | | | use computer systems, others choose sticky notes to |
| 4. Do you still have an idea which version of your CV | | | | keep record of tasks. Beware of this latter if you have |
| you sent to whom? | | | | more than one note on your desk! You need to be |
| If you have four YES-es, then congratulations, it seems | | | | clear with your to do tasks and priorities, so use a |
| like you are really well organised! However, if you have | | | | clean space or system to record them! |
| less than four, probably you could benefit from some | | | | 4. Folder - Make sure you create a new space for all |
| tips in this regard. | | | | job related documents on your computer. During the |
| Why do we want to be well organised? There are a | | | | course of your job search, you might have more than |
| number of reasons for that; here are a couple of them: | | | | 20-30 different versions of your CV, you want to |
| - Professionalism - It doesn't give a good impression to | | | | name them so that you can find them back easily. |
| the recruiter, if upon giving you a call, you don't even | | | | One easy way is to call them "Erika Kalmar Career |
| have a clue who you are talking to or even worse, | | | | Coach - for Apple" (your name - job title - company |
| you ask them "Which position was that?". This tells the | | | | name). This contains all necessary information for your |
| recruiter that (a) you don't have much interest and / or | | | | own records AND sounds personalised for the |
| (b) you send out tons of applications, neither of which | | | | recruiter as well. In case you have lots of print out |
| is appealing to the recruiter. Just by introducing some | | | | papers related to your job search, keep also a paper |
| sort of system into your job search, you can really | | | | folder. The best is actually, if you keep this with you all |
| make the difference at the first call and come across | | | | the time (for example job descriptions you applied to), |
| as someone truly professional. | | | | again, for the case a recruiter calls you when you are |
| - Resource management - Also, you want to make | | | | away from your desk. |
| sure you make the most out of the resources you are | | | | 5. Status report document - I strongly recommend you |
| having - that is recording all information, contacts you | | | | keeping a document where you record all important |
| are having and CV versions so that you can use | | | | information regarding your search. A simple Excel |
| these efficiently. | | | | sheet will do for this purpose. Prepare the following |
| - Planning - It gives you an opportunity to plan and not | | | | columns (in any order you wish): Company name, |
| be drowned by a pile of "to do" tasks. Once you have | | | | Location (if applicable), Position, Source, Contact's |
| a clear overview of where you stand and what needs | | | | name & Source, CV sent date, follow-up date, 1st |
| to be done, it is easy to create tasks around that. | | | | interview, Interviewers, 2nd interview, Interviewers, |
| - Stats - And last, but not least, with registering all | | | | Offer, Feedback. This will give you a good overview |
| important information, you can regularly check out your | | | | of your job search process, the steps to accomplish |
| job search statistics and see where you might need to | | | | and can serve as statistics to see which part of the |
| improve. For example, if you see that you sent out 80 | | | | job search you need to improve. You can fill in the |
| CVs and had no positive feedback, then you can see | | | | Company - Position - Source columns as soon as you |
| that there is something wrong with your CV. However, | | | | dig out a job or company lead somewhere. You can |
| if you have a good response rate but the process | | | | see later clearly in this sheet that no action was taken |
| tends to stop after the interview, then you need to | | | | so preparing and sending your CV will go to your task |
| enhance rather your interviewing skills. | | | | list. Again later, you will see that CV went out 2 weeks |
| So much about the benefits of being well organized in | | | | ago and still no response, so time to follow up and so |
| our job search. And now let's see some practical tips | | | | forth. |
| on how to get there. | | | | You see? It is not that complicated to create your |
| You will need five tools for this. Here they go: | | | | own system for your job search, it is just to DO IT. |
| 1. Calendar - you will need a calendar where you will | | | | And once it is done, I would be curious to hear your |
| register every single appointment around your job | | | | feedback on what systems you implemented, how |
| search. If you choose a calendar in your computer, | | | | you benefitted from this, and any tips you might want |
| make sure you also keep a synchronised paper | | | | to share with others on your way of doing it. |
| version with you all the time, in case a recruiter will | | | | Good luck with your search! |
| catch you on the road. | | | | |