I found this post on the Brazen Careerist network: 8 Unwritten Rules of Job Searching
I’m going to talk about the first three:
1. Keep organized in your job search.
I was glad to see this as the FIRST of the eight points. I’ve been passionate about this topic for the last 6+ years, when I designed JibberJobber to help job seekers organize and manage a job search.
I regularly see/hear recruiters complain about disorganized job seekers. If you are disorganized you appear aloof and disinterested. Is that what you want recruiters to think about you?
If you don’t think you will need a powerful organizational tool, you aren’t doing a real job search.
2. Ask for stuff, and make it easy for people to say yes.
At one presentation, I think in Austin, TX, I asked if anyone wanted a book. A lady got up and walked to the stage and asked for it. I gave it to her.
Sometimes all we have to do is ask. But make it easy for people to say yes. That could mean making your question small (without a lot of backstory and description), or making it “bite-sized,” which is asking ONE thing, not one thing with seventeen parts!
It’s weird to ask… but we need to ask!
3. Don’t apply for jobs you don’t want.
Too often people are applying online to stuff that seems remotely applicable to them… but it’s really not a good fit. If you want to get mentally exhausted, apply to stuff you aren’t a match for and then get discouraged that recruiters recognize you aren’t a match, and no one contacts you back.
Spend time on the good stuff… not on anything, just because there’s an easy application process.
Those are my thoughts on 3 of the 8. Entire post here 🙂
