Resources
Job Search Process
For those linear thinkers out there, here’s a suggested step-by-step job-search plan.
Step 1: Scan the Environment
- Investigate trends, issues and developments in your industry (online, networking meetings, professional associations/journals, local business publications).
- Analyze ads/online postings to determine companies and industries that need your skills.
- Expand your network to include related industries and professions.
- Self assessment: What do you do best? What do you like to do? What are your priorities?
- Professional assessment: Specialized areas of knowledge? Key roles? Specialized skills? Accomplishments to highlight?
- Draft a sentence or phrase that concisely describes the kind of work you are seeking.
- Determine your exit statement — why you’re looking. An exit statement should be brief, non-defensive, truthful and positive.
- Define your unique advantage in the marketplace.
- Create your positioning statement. It presents an overall message to your target market.
- Target your resume to deliver a consistent and strong theme/thread.
- Identify specific organizations/companies to pursue (50 is a manageable goal).
- Consider geographic location, industry or type of organization, size and organizational culture.
- Ask others for suggestions and input.
- Collect additional information about your target list — talk to others, do Internet research, etc.
- Compile list of questions to ask people within your target organizations so you can be most effective when networking.
- Set up a system to organize information and keep track of contacts.
- Word-of-mouth advertising about your qualifications and availability.
- Increase your visibility.
- Network, network, network to identify hiring managers.
- Explore their needs; link your benefits to their needs.
- Share your target list with your contacts.
- Direct approach with hiring managers, if applicable.
- Search firms.
- Listservs.
- Direct company websites.
- Competence + compatibility + chemistry = organization’s perspective
- Competence + compatibility + chemistry + compensation = your perspective
- Be clear about what they need and the value you bring.
- Do your homework on compensation before the negotiation starts.
Associations
The Encyclopedia of Associations is a comprehensive source of detailed information on more than 135,000 nonprofit membership organizations worldwide. Available online through most libraries.Wikipedia has a comprehensive list, too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_organizations.
Check the business section of your local newspaper (including your city’s business journal) for a weekly calendar of professional organization gatherings. Sign up for newsletters and event notifications so you can stay on top of what’s happening in your local market.
Alumni Career Network
Go here for insider access to fellow alumni, job postings and career-related resources. Visit www.willamettealumni.com and click “Career Network.”
Joining the Career Network allows you to:
- Connect with other alumni to get career advice, expand your network and foster connections.
- Access Willamette-only networking opportunities.
- Search and view up-to-date job listings (many with direct alumni connections).
- Volunteer as a career advisor for younger alumni and/or students.
- Submit job postings and share opportunities of interest to other alumni.
- Search for fellow alumni by name, industry, geographic location, company name, major or fraternity/sorority (for networking purposes).
- Learn about upcoming career networking events.
- Access other career planning and professional development resources.
- Offer your expertise as a valuable resource to other alumni.
Books/Websites
Aggregate Job Board: www.indeed.com. Great for researching keywords, related positions, and locating industry organizations/sites for specialized fields.
Occupational Outlook Handbook: www.bls.gov/oco. Government site for researching careers, including training and education requirements, job earnings, working conditions, expected job prospects and job descriptions. Very little information about niche fields or more unusual career segments.
Resume examples for specific positions/experience levels: http://www.jobweb.com/resumes.aspx?folderid=116
The Idealist Guide to Nonprofit Careers:
www.idealist.org/careerguide
Match your skills to occupational areas:
http://online.onetcenter.org
Kennedy Directory of Executive Recruiters (annual subscription fee):
www.myredder.com
Guerrilla Marketing for Job Seekers
—Jay Conrad Levinson & David E. Perry
Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time
—Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
Monster Careers: Networking
—Jeffrey Taylor and Doug Hardy
Career Comeback
—Bradley Richardson
Now, Discover Your Strengths
—Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton
Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer
—Susan Britton Whitcomb
Work It! How to Get Ahead, Save Your Ass, and Land a Job in Any Economy
—Allison Hemming
What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here?: 44 Insider Secrets That Will Get You Hired
—Cynthia Shapiro
Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People
—Carol Eikleberry and Richard Nelson Bolles
Boost Your Hiring IQ
—Carole Martin
101 Smart Questions to Ask on Your Interview
—Ron Fry
101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions
—Ron Fry
Get the Interview Every Time!
—Brenda Greene