There are many steps involved in finding a job. Making sure that all of these steps are addressed is critical in landing a position, especially in today’s very competitive marketplace. If any of the steps are ignored or mismanaged, then the possibility of finding a suitable position for your skills and salary range may, in fact, be at risk.

Here are elements of the job search that need to be part of your action plan for finding the right job:

Career Portfolio: At minimum include your resume and cover letter.  Senior manager levels, might add a bio, project list, addendum, and executive summary to their portfolio of career documents.

Make sure that your resume is targeted to the type of position for which you are applying. Include the right key words, update all information and check for spelling accuracy. Let someone who knows you well proofread your resume and provide you with feedback on the flow, grammar, typos, etc.

As for cover letters, gear each cover letter to the job for which you are seeking and the company to which you are sending it. In another words, be specific in how you can best provide value for the company to which you are applying.

Online and Face-to Face Networking: Include networking as part of your strategy. Make sure that you have a profile and presence on LinkedIn which is a site used by many hiring managers and recruiters  to post positions and to obtain information on candidates.

For face-to-face networking, get out of the house … meet others for coffee, lunch or just to meet. Call those you know and send emails to keep in touch. It is not only about what you know and who you know, but also about who knows you. Stay in touch with everyone. You never know who can pass your name along.

References: Be sure to have your references lined up ahead of time. Talk to these people. They are part of your support team and can be a good sounding board as well as a good reference. Never ask them for a job, but you can ask for advice, especially if they are still part of the current workforce.

Get A Mentor: Transitioning to a new job can become overwhelming, frustrating and stressful. Find a mentor or coach (if you have the funds) to provide guidance and support during the job search process, someone who will listen to you vent and keep you moving in a positive direction.

Follow Up: After an interview send a ‘thank you’ note. It is courteous to do so, and it provides another way to stay in contact with the hiring manager.

Put Together A Strategy and Action Plan: This is the most overlooked step of all. Outline what companies you wish to target, put together daily activities to complete, research the Internet not only for careers, but also for general information about the industry and positions you are interested in, and current business trends.  Hone your interviewing skills and have down pat your elevator speech. You know the one where the interviewer says: Tell me about yourself.  Maybe part of your action plan could be to work for a temp agency, work part time or volunteer. Anything to get your name out there! Most of all stay flexible…about the job, title, salary and geographic location.

There is no one way to find a job, but there are many steps you can take that will keep you positive and going forward in a very competitive environment.

We’ve had 12 recessions since 1939 and we’re in the 12th one now. (Recessions are officially announced by the National Bureau of Economic Research). Economic trends project continued job losses of over 1 million more jobs by mid 2009. Whether you have a job or not, very few feel totally safe in today’s environment.

What actions are you taking to make sure your job stability and career stay on a positive course? Here are some suggestions to steady yourself during this economic downturn:

1) Make sure that your career documents are in order. Review your present resume and update it where necessary. Your resume should reflect the value you can bring to a company. Make the resume compelling and use dollar amounts and percentages where you can to show significant changes that are a result of your efforts.

2) The Internet is a great resource tool. Even if employed, look at the job boards from time to time to see what is out there. Be bold and send out your resume. Test the waters. If your resume does not get a response, think about revising it to heighten your message. After all, your resume is your marketing brochure!

3) Now is the time to make sure you have a very strong network. Most jobs (around 35 to 75%) are found through networking. Stay in touch with friends and colleagues. Join a volunteer group and expand your network.

4) If you are not presently working, plan to spend at least 40 hours each week on your job search. Finding a job is a job!!  Sending out resumes is only one part of the job search process. Put a plan together on how to spend each day – eg. doing research on the Internet, networking with friends/colleagues, even working in a part time position (you never know…the company that hires you for part time work might someday hire you for full time employment).

5) This might be the perfect time to re-tool … take some courses that will increase your skill level, or explore other types of careers.

Remember: most recessions last about a year. There have only been 2 recessions in the last 80 years that have lasted 16 to 18 months. The economy will bounce back. Will you be ready!!

With all that is going on in the economy today many companies are forced to make cutbacks to their workforce.  Unemployment is at the highest it has been in years in Florida.  A rule of thumb for finding a position: for every $10,000 in salary per month, figure one month of job search time.  So if you are looking for a $50,000 job, that means five months of dedicated effort.

The major difference between successful and unsuccessful job hunters is not necessarily a tight job market, but rather the way they go about their job search.   Here are some key factors to consider:

1. Plan out your search: put together a clear strategy, target the companies you would like to work for, do the appropriate research on each company, decide how much time each day you will dedicate to your search, organize your search tracking your postings/contacts on an Excell spreadsheet, etc.
2. Use all possible avenues to find out what positions are available: networking, Internet postings, job fairs, classified ads, recruiters, email campaigns, etc. Networking has the highest return with about 35% or more jobs found in this way.  Remember it is not just what you know that is important in finding a position.  It is what you know, who you know and who knows you!!  However, no one way is the right way. Use them all to speed up your job search!
3. Make sure your career documents are in order: your resume and cover letter make a statement about your professionalism, attention to detail and overall performance.  A hiring manager looks at a resume for 10 to 25 seconds…make sure your career documents stand out from all the others.
4. Practice your interviewing skills: very often the best candidate with the best qualifications does not get the job.  The job often goes to the job seeker who is the best communicator and marketer at the time of the interview.
5. Stay positive: keep a positive state of mind; exercise, eat right and participate where you can in activities that keep you moving forward with enthusiasm.  Remember on average it takes 3 to 6 months to find a position, so be patient and focused.