How to Take Control of Your Job Hunt

You know your skills better than anyone.

Being unemployed can be a depressing experience. It is all too easy to fall into a habit of allowing others to make decisions for you and dictate which direction you should take in your efforts to find employment. Only you know exactly what sort of position you are looking for, and you are the only one who can represent yourself in a job interview. You can market yourself far better than anyone you hire. Take control of your job hunt and begin networking using the resources available to you.

Things You'll Need

• A resume

Instructions

1. Update your own resume. Professional resume writers are expensive, and no one knows your own skills and experience like you do. Tailor the skills listed on your resume when you apply for jobs in different fields. Hiring a resume writer each time you do this can be a financial strain when you are unemployed. Proofread your resume for typos and grammar mistakes, and limit it to one page.

2. Hunt for jobs on your own. If you have given thought to hiring a job coach, think again. A job coach cannot do anything for you that you cannot do for yourself. What makes job coaches effective is that they match you to jobs within your field and experience level. You know what your qualifications are, and you know what your experience level is. Search for jobs that fit your parameters, and be your own job coach.

3. Actively search for jobs while participating in job placement. Staffing agencies are a good resource if your income is slim, and you need a boost to your finances to keep going with your job hunt. Do not, however, stop looking for permanent work during the period of time that you are assigned to temporary positions. You cannot schedule interviews while you are working, but you can still market yourself. Use your staffing assignments as an opportunity to get to know individuals within the company who may know of openings you can apply for. Making contacts now may benefit you greatly in the future.

4. Listen to the advice of friends and family, but do not lose sight of your own goals. Loved ones will always contribute their advice to the decisions you make. If you are hunting for a job, you can expect input you did not ask for coming from a multitude of directions. Do not follow every recommendation. The methods your loved ones recommend may work for them, but that does not mean they will work for you.

5. Consider starting your own business. Rather than simply taking control of your job hunt, why not take control of the job itself? If you have a product, service, or skill that you can provide to the public as a specialty, consider marketing it as such. You can start small now while you hunt for employment, and commit yourself to your business venture full time once it becomes profitable.

References

• Should You Hire Someone to Find You a Job?
• Turning a Temp Job Into a Permanent Position