Why you should always be job searching

I have been struggling with motivation in my job search. My job counselor encouraged me to start applying and that's what I've been doing. Since I've started I often think about what advice I'd give to the pre-layoff me. Hands down, it is to through the entire process of applying for a new job on a regular basis. Why? Because it's a way to...

...assess yourself...
For the last few years, I was focusing on advancing and focusing on the job at hand. I also thought that I did have my resume up-to-date and was working on networking. But nothing beats going through the whole process. What happened to me was I focused too much on the circumstances around me and got complacent. I didn't step back to 1) assess and recognize all that I've done and 2) look at myself as a hiring manager would. 

Yesterday I applied for three jobs online. Fat Tony was kind enough to review my resume and cover letters. In the process he asked why I wasn't putting on my other publications. I said, "I don't have any other publications." He informed me that yes, I did and I was in fact second author on a couple of publications from my post-doc. In my mind I had written that period off and avoided any news from that lab. It's baffling self-sabotage and I can't explain why I never checked, but there they were in PubMed.

...in light of current open positions...
It helps to step back and ask where do I want to go? Look for jobs whenever you've got 10 minutes and print out any reqs that look appealing. Then apply for something you'd really want, not in a "I'm just testing the waters" kind of way, but in a "I want it and I will get it" kind of way. Write a customized cover letter. Tailor your resume. Think very hard about how that resume is going to get through the automated keyword search to make it to the HR contractor sifting through the resumes and ultimately to the hiring manager. I am finding that with each iteration I get more efficient and the resume looks a bit more "right".

Part of the job search process is to create stories about yourself for easy reference so when you are interviewing, you don't get all deer in headlights and blank on how to answer "Why should we hire you". It's an exercise that is so easy to do, I end up not doing it and then I forget. Applying for jobs is a way to make you stop and actuall document stories that fit the job description and write them down as you build your  "Why I'm Great" database.

When you look for jobs you are forcing yourself to find a goal. When you are building a career, you need to see how what you are doing is adding up to a goal.

and through other's eyes
The outplacement firm continually states that up to 80% of jobs are filled through networking. I am highly skeptical of that figure, but recognize that networking is a must. There are plenty of benefits to networking, but the one I want to talk about here is helping you understand how you appear to others.

The more I network, the more I like it, but something I did not expect was hearing how people perceive me or my background. For example, I thought that I didn't want to introduce anything about my research, opting to keep my resume brief. But a recent conversation changed my mind. It's there for background, just not featured.

I've gotten feedback that I am "technical" (whatever that means) and that my lacking an MBA is a serious gap given my current aspirations, so I'm revising my search criteria and seeking opportunities to do some volunteer marketing.

...and it's a way to stay current with common Office tools
I bought Office 2010 so I could work on my resume and other documents for the job search. After Fat Tony suggested I clean up my resume formatting, I knew I was a good decade behind the times. (Having worked on Office 2003 at work until this year did not help.) I've been working through a bunch of tutorials on Office and am happy to say that my resume is not in all Arial 11 point font.

I am finding that I have limitless uses for Excel and I'm sure we'll be using Word and Powerpoint for Fat Tony's new small business. 

These days the documents we create are a reflection of us. It's worth it to take the time to make sure you can create an impressive ones.