The six-step job search process gives you tactics for how to get from where you are to your next job. It is based on the mechanics of how the job market plays out between employers and job candidates. This is important because job seekers often don’t know what to do to secure a job. They may know how to do the job—that is, they have the selling and communication skills and experience for the sales job itself— but gettingthe job, convincing someone to hire you, is different from doing the actual job. It is the difference between being a good driver and being able to pass the road test. You want to prepare for the road test (in this case, the job search process) in order to get a chance to drive.
But these tactics of the six-step job search process assume you have some fundamentals in place. Getting your driver’s license also assumes you have certain fundamentals—for example, knowledge of traffic laws and proper eyesight. Here are some key fundamentals you will need to launch your job search:
- Confidence (100 percent belief you will get a job and a positive attitude)
- Communication skills (written, verbal, presentation, and listening)
- Poise (dress, manners, and body language)
- Resources (time, space, office supplies, budget for clothes, transportation, etc.)
With these fundamentals in place, you can use the process to take you through the mechanics of your search.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The six steps of the job search are sequential because one step leads into the next.
- It is helpful to follow the sequence so you are not overwhelmed by doing everything at once and so you can build a progression.
- The six steps of the job search are concurrent because each step influences the others.
- It is helpful to allow the six steps to overlap so you can use the information and feedback from each step to strengthen and refine the others.
- The six-step process assumes you have some fundamental skills and resources in place, including confidence, communication skills, poise, and physical resources.
EXERCISES
- Looking at the six-step job search approach, what step(s) do you feel most comfortable with?
- Least comfortable with? Each step will be detailed in subsequent chapters, but you may want to budget your time to focus on the ones where you are most uncertain.
- Do you have some job targets in mind? An entire chapter describes how to specify your target even further (or to elicit targets if you can’t think of any). Make a list of your interests right now.
Think about how the six-step job search process would apply if you were looking for a job in your areas of interest.
- 1144 reads
