Setting the Pace for Your Job Search

Posting from Career Sherpa

You want a new job. You want it fast. How will YOU make it happen?

Sometimes it feels like securing a new job is out of our control. I hear too often today people say "There aren't any jobs out there". I know there are jobs out there and so do you. The trick is finding them. Like a good old fashioned Easter Egg Hunt; you have to really look and quickness counts. If you don't move quickly, someone else is going to find those eggs. You look in the obvious, visible spots first. After awhile, you are going to have to look in out of the way, less obvious, hiding spots.

How does setting goals fit into this? You will want to set long term and short term goals to truly make things happen. Keep moving forward towards your goals.

Say your long term goal is to have a job by January 1, 2010. How many individuals will you need to meet to make that happen? How many interviews will you be turned down from? How many jobs will you need to apply for on-line? How many recruiters will you need to develop relationships with? These are the numbers you want to set in stone and strive for. Why these? Because these are the ways people secure jobs. Just take a look at CareerXroads survey from early this year. The study asked companies how they filled their openings.

Jobs on-line---------------------20 per week 80 per month 160 by January 1, 2010

Face to Face meetings---------5 per week 20 per month 40 by January 1, 2010

Recruiter conversations------10 per week 40 per month 80 by January 1, 2010

Reaching these conservative numbers proves that you have your work cut out for you. It is going to take discipline and time management to maintain these goals.

Older statistics stated that 1 out of 4 interviews would result in an offer. I am pretty sure that number is higher now. This goes to show that you will not get every job you apply for, nor would you want every job you interviewed for. In order to get interviews, you will have to meet a lot of people and apply thoughtfully to a lot of jobs.

The other thing to consider is the quality of these efforts versus the quality. You are investing your time, do so wisely. Give more time to those meetings or job postings that are worth your investment.

Are you setting these kinds of goals? Can you sustain this activity?

If you are seeking for the golden egg, move swiftly and investigate every option.