Show Your Job Search Some Love

Jennifer Fry
Careerminds Consultant

It’s been a week since Valentine’s Day has come and gone, and while you can be certain that many people made sure to show some extra attention to their significant others, the question remains about showing a little extra love to their job searches. Although the time has passed to present your Valentine with flowers and chocolate, it’s never too late to go above and beyond during your career transition.
Certain steps to job search success go without saying– compose a quality resume, research and seek out employers, network, etc.– but there are a few extra measures that you can take to really give your job search some added attention.

• Create a blog. Share your knowledge with your professional community, and show it off to your potential employers. By maintaining a blog that focuses on information relevant to your field, you can become a thought leader, or the person that everyone in your industry turns to for the latest and greatest news and knowledge. What better way to impress an employer by providing a link to your own well-kept professional blog on your resume.
• Write guest posts. So maybe creating and maintaining our own blog sounds like a tough feat. That’s ok. You can build up to that, or just get your name out there by writing guest posts for other people’s blogs. Find a blog that is 1) relevant to your field, 2) well-written, 3) accepting guest entries, and get in contact with the administrator. Writing for a pre-established blog will help you make connections, and may help you find a job. Be sure to include a brief bio with contact information at the end of your post, and mention that you are seeking employment. You never know who may be reading!
• Find a mentor. Utilize your own network to find a professional who is willing to invest themselves in your search. An ideal mentor is someone who is currently working in a position similar to what you are aspiring to do, and whose network is relevant to your field. A good mentor can provide additional connections, great advice, and one-on-one attention.
• Seek feedback. Make use of your network, your friends and family, and the interviewers with whom you come into contact. Sometimes the truth can be hard to hear, but if you haven’t found the success you’ve been looking for, constructive feedback may be just what you need to move forward.

It may be too late to romance your Valentine, but a little extra effort in your job search can never come too late.

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.