Organize Your Job Search
With any major project, it is always best to fully organize yourself before getting started. It is no different with your job search. The idea is to ensure you are maximizing your job search efficiency by ensuring that efforts are not wasted. After all, why would you want to take 8 hours to do what can be done in four, or even two? Here are a few ideas to help you get organized for the job search before beginning your journey.
Grab a Separate Room
Nothing will help your job search better than to made it to your space for your activities. If you are fortunate enough have a separate room available to you to serve as headquarters for the job search, then you should definitely commandeer it. This will allow you to segment your job search from the rest of the household activities. Being able to shut the door send a message to the rest of the household that you are busy and engaged in the job search. With this room now serving as Job Search Central, should be able fully organize all the tools that you need without worrying about others in the household disrupting your flow. The best part is that the day is over, can shut the door behind you and keep that part separate from your family life. When the day is over, the day is over. Your job search is important, but not as important as separating it from your family life. Will allow for that operation.
Remove the TV
While it is extremely tempting to set up a television in Job Search Central, you can easily be distracted when things get a little rough. Removing the television from the wrong dedicate you to focusing on the task at hand, which is finding employment. It is all too easy to grab the remote and begin flipping channels. Before too long, 3 hours have gone by with no productivity the job search. When you need a break, leave Job Search Central, shut the door, and enjoy a TV show in the other room. This way, the activities that a separate your mind. Remember, Job Search Central is for efficient work and finding employment, nothing else.
Dedicated Job Search Phone Number(s)
With the inexpensive cost of phone numbers today, it makes perfect sense get yourself a dedicated telephone number specifically for the job search and forward it to your cell phone. The last thing you need is your teenage son answering the telephone with the latest slang jargon when an employer is calling, right? You can easily get a temporary telephone number for the search from web sites such as kall8.com for very reasonable rates. Biggest benefit to you is that if searching for employment in a particular locale, you can purchase a telephone number with that local area code. This will decrease the chance of your resume being tossed because you are not in the local area of the job in question. Remember to put this number on your documentation (resume, cover letter, etc.)
Fax Machine
Whether or not you need a physical fax machine simply depends upon your mastery of other technology. Faxing websites such as send2fax.com ($11.99/mo.) make it easy send and receive faxes without the need for a physical fax machine. If you have the ability to scan a physical document into electronic form, you can upload it to sites such as this that fax the documents for you. As for incoming faxes, you receive a toll free fax number with your account and all documents faxed to your number are immediately converted into PDF and emailed to you. This makes for immediate notification and easy storage/recall. Instead of finding a fax when you come home from the coffeehouse (or that a paper jam terminated it), you can see it pop up in your email on your phone as you sip your latte. If for some reason you need a physical fax machine, I recommend getting a separate dedicated line for it.
Bluetooth Headphones (with a mic)
Some may not be lucky enough to have a separate room in which to conduct their job search. Some may have that separate space, but it just may not be not be as not be as soundproof as one would like. In these instances, it is good to be able to shut out the outside distractions with a pair of headphones. It doesn’t need to be anything expensive or over the top. The headphones simply need to be able to play whatever sounds help you to concentrate. For some it is the sounds of a river flowing. For others it could be a classical music lineup. A free music site such as Pandora can give you everything that you need to create that atmosphere you need to keep you at peak concentration levels. If you can pair it with your telephone via Bluetooth technology, you can also speak hands free, allowing you to hold conversations in whatever way makes you comfortable. Perhaps you like to stroll when you talk. Bluetooth headphones with a microphone allow you the freedom to do just that. Additionally, you will be able to take notes during conversations because of the hands-free capability.
Data Backup
One of the worst feeling in the world is discovering that you have lost all of your files, data, contacts and other information due to a computer system meltdown. If you do not have a data backup strategy in place at this time, do so now. You can back up critical files manually a thumb drive or some other storage. But I recommend using software that automatically backs up your system online wherever you are. Websites such as carbonite.com make it possible to back your system up continuously without your having to remember. Even better, your resume’s and other files are available to you anywhere you have an Internet connection. You can keep costs down by only backing up the necessary job search documents, but it is great for pictures and music as well. If you use Norton products, they also have a data backup product. Research different online data backup solution providers to see which is may be the best for your needs. But a safe job search will definitely include a data backup plan of some sort, online or otherwise.
Keep Job Search Central Neat
A neat and tidy work area is a must to help you to conduct your job search at an efficient level. When your space is disorganized and messy, it is a distraction. A nationwide survey on the relationship of cleanliness to learning in 2008 found that 88% of students admitted being distracted from learning “in even casually or moderately messy environments”, with 84% agreeing that they feel it is helpful when learning environments are “spotless or very tidy”. Keep your desk organized and free of loose and unclassified papers. Also, be sure to let the household know that your space can’t double as a laundry or tool storage area. At least for now.
