Looking for a Job?

Cheryl Gowin and Dennis Gowin.  Call us at our counseling practice with your feedback, comments, issues, or questions at 434-808-2637.

Did you hear that the unemployment rate sank to 4.3 percent in May, its lowest level in 16 years?  With such a low unemployment rate, looking for a job should be easy, right?  Are you asking yourself then why am I so overwhelmed with the job search?  If you are, you are in the majority.  Most people rank looking for a job right up there with getting a root canal.

The following statistics about jobs supports the fact that a job search can be overwhelming.  The GlassDoor reports that, on average, every corporate job opening attracts 250 resumes.  Of the 250 people who apply for a job, on average only four of these people will be called for an interview.  And, of course, only one will be offered a job.  The probability you will be the one getting the job offer is very low.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t seem to matter if the job seeker is new to the game, or has changed jobs multiple times; everyone can feel overwhelmed.  A person who has 20 years work experience can be just as hesitant to start the job search process as the person who just graduated.  While the hesitation can be caused by the emotions surrounding the job search, the hesitation can also be caused by the lack of a job search game plan.  It is easy to say, “I am looking for a new job”; it is another thing to know what step to do next to find that perfect job.

Let’s say you have made a decision to start your job search tomorrow.  What does that mean?  Should you change your resume?  If changing it, how should you change it?  Where should you look for job postings?  Do you know exactly what job you want?

Benjamin Franklin is quoted as giving the advice: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”  Ok, so we aren’t really planning on failing; no one wants to fail.  However, without a plan, you can waste time moving in the wrong direction or spend time on activities that don’t result in the desired outcome.  Your plan does not have to be complex. Here are four phases that are part of a very simple blueprint to follow in setting up and implementing your own job search.   

Phase 1 – Identify the job you’re seeking by looking at various job boards.  www.monster.com is a website that has a wealth of information on jobs.

Phase 2 – Research the job and determine the skills that employees require for the job.  Job postings will tell you what skills companies require for the specific job.  Your resume needs to show how your background meets these requirements.   

Phase 3 – Create a list of potential employers who have the job you are seeking.  Take time to understand the employers and if their workplace is a place at which you would like to work.  The best place to find potential employers is, again, the job board websites.

Phase 4 – Develop your contact plan; use social networking, post your resume on job sites, and reach out directly to the potential employers.

How does your own process match this plan?  Are you having any problems that may be solved by using these phases?  For example, are you stuck on how to revise your resume?  It is possible that you moved too quickly past the phase on choosing or researching your perfect job.  It is difficult to know which of your skills to highlight on your resume without having a good understanding of the job you want and the requirements employers have for that job.

Have you had some luck getting interviews but you did not get a job offer?  Part of the problem may be that you did not take time to understand the employers.

Back to Mr. Franklin again, “Diligence is the mother of good luck.”  Finding the right job takes work, not just luck.  If you have a plan, just keep working the plan.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us– yes, establish the work of our hands.  Psalm 90:17

Cheryl Gowin and Dennis Gowin.  Call us with your feedback, comments, issues, or questions; our phone number is 434-808-2637.