| Many people, under financial or other pressures to find | | | | company profiles, advertisements, and business cards, |
| work quickly, feel they can't afford to take the time to | | | | but they will be of no value to you if you can't find |
| get organized. On the other hand, conducting your job | | | | what you need. A binder or filing system, sorting the |
| search in an organized manner will reduce the amount | | | | information into topics, will allow you to refer quickly to |
| of time you spend looking for information, following | | | | both the job posting and that specific application when |
| inappropriate leads, or waiting for your dream job to | | | | you receive a telephone call from a prospective |
| fall into your lap. It generally takes at least a month to | | | | employer. It will also allow you to find easily any other |
| find an entry-level job, and as much as nine months for | | | | information you may have gathered about the |
| one requiring a high level of skill and experience. | | | | organization before your interview.You may find it |
| Getting organized before you begin your job search | | | | beneficial to have an alternate "job search office" such |
| can ultimately save you a lot of time and | | | | as your local library or employment centre, where you |
| frustration.You should take several preliminary steps | | | | can research, read, and write without the distractions |
| before you even begin your active job search. You | | | | you may encounter at home. Many are equipped with |
| should start by identifying your skills, interests, target | | | | computers that you can use for Internet job search as |
| market, and any child care, transportation, or other | | | | well as resume and cover letter preparation, which can |
| issues that you will need to keep in mind. A career or | | | | be a great benefit if you don't have a home computer |
| employment counselor can be very helpful in this area, | | | | or must share it with other family members. If you plan |
| as well as with the preparation of your resume, cover | | | | to use this type of service on a regular basis, you'll |
| letters, and any other job search materials you will | | | | need some type of portfolio or briefcase to hold your |
| need.Once you're ready to face the job market, there | | | | job search material, including your resume in printed |
| are three areas where you'll find it beneficial to be well | | | | form and on a diskette, your calendar, and a notebook |
| organized: your schedule, your workspace, and your | | | | for jotting down leads and ideas. Most facilities do not |
| contacts.Your ScheduleFirst, you must decide how | | | | allow you to receive telephone calls, so be sure that |
| much time you can realistically commit to your job | | | | potential employers can reach you by voice mail, |
| search on a weekly basis, and then create a weekly | | | | pager or cell phone.Of course, you'll need a calendar |
| schedule of activities. Keep in mind that looking for a | | | | for marking down job interviews and other important |
| full-time job is in itself a full-time job! Some of your time | | | | meetings. You'll also need a system for keeping track |
| will be devoted to reading and applying for advertised | | | | of your job applications. This information may be |
| positions, but be sure to allow plenty of time for other | | | | needed to confirm your eligibility for unemployment |
| job search activities such as making telephone calls, | | | | insurance or social assistance, and will help you to |
| generating and researching new leads, reviewing old | | | | follow up on your applications.Your ContactsDuring |
| leads for follow up, writing thank you notes or other | | | | your job search, you will probably communicate with |
| correspondence, and visiting placement offices, | | | | hundreds, if not thousands, of people, but in order to |
| employment agencies, or other service providers. The | | | | make effective use of the network you develop, you'll |
| percentage of time you dedicate to each activity | | | | need a way to keep track of all your contacts.The |
| depends on what is most effective for your field of | | | | simplest method is a card file system, with a card for |
| work or geographical area, so it may be worthwhile | | | | each contact. Each card should include the contact's |
| for you to ask others what has worked for them.Most | | | | name, title, organization, address, telephone number, |
| people perform different activities more effectively at | | | | fax, and email address, the source of the lead, and |
| different times of day. Take your natural energy flow, | | | | dates and details of any conversations, |
| as well as the availability of quiet time for conducting | | | | correspondence, or interviews. You may find it helpful |
| research and telephone calls, into consideration when | | | | to set up a "recipe box" with a set of dividers labeled |
| planning your schedule. If quiet time is not available at | | | | with the days of the week and a set numbered 1-31 |
| home during the daytime or evening, an employment | | | | for the days of the month. You can file each card |
| resource center can be an invaluable resource.Keep | | | | under the date you wish to contact that person. For |
| your personal preferences in mind when planning your | | | | example, you may speak with someone on the 10th |
| activities. For example, if you dislike talking on the | | | | who suggests that you call him or her in two weeks. |
| telephone, it may be less stressful for you to get your | | | | After noting the information on the index card, file it in |
| calls out of the way before beginning your other | | | | the section for the 25th where it will serve as a |
| activities, or to intersperse your phone calls between | | | | reminder for you to follow up.There are wonderful |
| other activities so you don't become overwhelmed. If | | | | software programs available that can help you with |
| you're planning to drop off unsolicited resumes, map | | | | organizing your job search contacts. WinWay |
| out a route of targeted businesses that are in a | | | | Resume, for example, has a section for storing |
| particular area, and plan to cover the entire area in one | | | | contact information that you can merge with your |
| day. This will cut down on your travel time and | | | | cover letter. ACT! allows you to schedule tasks and |
| expenses as well as the number of times you need to | | | | reminders as well as perform mail merges. If you don't |
| dress up.Keeping a log of the actual time you spend | | | | wish to buy or learn a new software package, email |
| on each activity will allow you to see whether you are | | | | address books in Outlook, Outlook Express or in free |
| on track and to identify any problem areas. It's not | | | | Web-based email packages are also an excellent |
| uncommon to become frustrated and depressed | | | | way to keep track of your contacts. However, unless |
| when you're out of work, so be sure to schedule | | | | you have unrestricted access to a computer, or a |
| regular time for self-care and other personal activities | | | | portable system such as a Palm Pilot, you won't be |
| like going to the gym or the hairstylist.Your | | | | always able to access the information. The key |
| WorkspaceAt a minimum, you need a chair and a | | | | features of any organizational system are ease of |
| desk or table with plenty of space for you to work | | | | recording and ease of retrieval. If using an electronic |
| with your information, make and receive telephone | | | | system will make your job search more complicated |
| calls, and plan your job search. All necessary supplies | | | | and time-consuming, don't use it.Job searching can be |
| should be stored close by, including paper, pens, index | | | | overwhelming, but when you organize your schedule, |
| cards, paperclips, staples, and your telephone directory. | | | | workspace, and contacts effectively, you'll be able to |
| During your job search, you'll likely accumulate various | | | | stay on track and find your new job more quickly. |
| versions of your resume and cover letter, job postings, | | | | |