Posted by Mark in We did a presentation a few months back called the “job search commandments.” We uploaded it on SlideShare and since then every week we get one email from the Slideshare teams saying it’s hot on some platform. We think it’s about time we shared it here too. As of now the slideshow has received more than 18,000 views, 30+ embeds and 50 favorites. We are sure you will find these job search commandments helpful. We have included both the slideshow and the text version. If you would like to add to the commandments feel free to do so through your comments.
And here is the text version.
1. Get Over The Fact That You Are Jobless
There is a saying you’ve heard, that you say and apply quite often – don’t cry over spilled milk. Job loss can be quite a blow to one’s esteem and financial situation but pondering day in and out isn’t going to help either. Get yourself recharged and head out in full gear for the next lucky employer who will think you are a steal.
2. Connect and Interact, Online and Offline
Business cards and handshakes are much needed but tweets and linkedin connections can’t be ignored. The job search landscape has changed with emerging social media platforms. Utilize them. Interaction offline is critical, but in this day and age it’s not sufficient. Reach out to others, both online and offline.
3. Worship Your Search For a Job
And you better be loyal. Job search in itself is a job and whether you like it or not someone has to do it. Unfortunately, this might be you. If you are searching for job think of it as a job itself. Dedicate yourself towards the goal of finding a job. Make it a religion until you can land a job and once you get the job you want, switch your religion to the job itself rather than the job search. keep worshiping.
4. Always Diversify Your Job Search
Everyone wants everybody specialized in a particular field, no doubt about that. But a handyman who can fix plumbing and then nail the shingles on my roof always gets my business over the plumber. Diversify your job search. Don’t always rely on what you know, but think of how that reliance can help you apply your skills towards other things.
5. Ignore The Job Data
Numbers. Usually higher the number the better but not in this case. If you recently lost your job you tend to see more people who recently lost theirs as well. This does nothing but causes depression. I am sure it has happened to you, you buy a new car and all of a sudden you see the same model all over the road. Exactly. It has always been there, you just didn’t notice. Ignore the fact that your friend, uncle, aunt and even mother in law is unemployed. It’s about you.
6. Lose The Negative Attitude
Do you find yourself buried under negative feelings? Well, get over it. Negative attitude gives birth to negative outcomes. Positive outcomes are the results of positive attitude. It propels you to do better. It pushes you further. Think positive. You might not have found a job today but what’s the guarantee tomorrow will be the same as today? There isn’t. Think positive.
7. Plan a Schedule, Stick With It
I have said it before that you should think of job search as a job itself. When I was out hunting for jobs, I had a calendar marked with what I was going to do on a particular day. As weird and crazy that might sound, it really helps to organize your job search schedule. Anything on a piece of paper (google calendar or whatever) is much better to follow than to simply pull it off of your mind. Create a schedule, a mind map and go with it. it will help you focus and execute much better.
8. Online and Offline Resume
I have heard a few people say that there will be a time when there won’t be a need for a resume. All I have to say to them is – you’re wrong! When it comes to employment, there is only one thing that can give a peak into the potential candidate’s skills and experience. Create a resume, dust it off every once in a while. Make sure your resume doesn’t just stay in paper and ink form. Use networking sites such as LinkedIn where you can use your profile as an online resume. Resume will exist, forever. The only thing I can’t guarantee is the paper and ink form. Get on the web and build one out as soon as possible if you haven’t already.
9. Brush On Your Skills
Think of a pipe that hasn’t had water flowing through it for couple years. You turn it on and all you can see is rust coming out. That’s you if you don’t brush your skills. Let’s be honest here, sometimes luck does have a big play in our job search. If for some reason you don’t get a job when you expected you would, there is a high probability that you might lose a few golden touches that you had in your field. Keep them brushed. Shine them every once in a while. Your skill is what sells you, can’t let it rust. No way!
10. I Can Do It
Yes you can!
Be confident.
Please take a minute to add more to the list so we can all help each other out in our job search as a community.
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i would add:
11: enjoy the freedom: sometimes, being unemployed comes right after a looooooooong time without rest or vacations and a large amount of stress. so unwind, recover and start looking for a new, better job.
@Mau : Thanks for pointing that out. We do tend to forget that aspect of job loss.
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Another commandment: Go directly to company websites to look for jobs.
LinkUp.com, the fastest growing job search engine, monitors over 22,000 company websites every day. The jobs on LinkUp are directly from company websites, are always current, often advertised anywhere else, and are never fake.
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Some really wonderful work on behalf of the owner of this site, utterly outstanding written content .
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