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The Job-Search Domino Effect:
Key Phases of Your Job Search

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Marketing Preparation Dynamic Cover Letter Excellent Resume Strong Interviewing Skills Timely Follow-up

by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., and Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

 

The Domino Effect states that there are five key phases of any good job search, and if you ignore any one of them or do one poorly, then the likelihood of having a successful job search decreases dramatically -- just as if you pulled a domino out of a chain of dominos.

 

The five phases of a successful job search:

1. Marketing Preparation
2. Dynamic Cover Letter
3. Excellent Resume
4. Strong Interviewing Skills
5. Timely Follow-up

 

 

Marketing Preparation

 

Preparation is perhaps the most important element of any successful job search. The strength of your preparation will carry you through the entire job search process. Preparation includes:

• determination of your strengths and weaknesses;
• evaluation of your job and career interests;
• establishment of a career track/path;
• analysis of geographic areas of interest;
• develop a list of potential employers;
• research on companies of interest;
• using key marketing tools to position yourself on the job market;
• networking with anyone who might be able to provide you with job leads.

 

The best places to do your marketing preparation? The Web, your college's career service/placement office, and/or your local library. Interested in the best career books? Then check out: Quintessential Careers: Job and Career Bookstore.

 

Not too sure about your career path or major? Then visit Career Assessments, where you'll find some great resources for learning more about yourself and your interests.

 

How ready are you for the job search? Take our Marketability Test to see if you're as prepared for the job search as you think you are.

 

Research is a key component of the preparation phase of the Domino Effect. Check out our Guide to Researching Companies for resources on and off the Web. For company-specific career information, go directly to the source by using The Quintessential Directory of Company Career Centers.

 

Finally, preparation also includes building your network of contacts. For more information about networking, including tips on how to build and use your network, visit Networking Your Way to a New Job.

 

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Dynamic Cover Letter

 

Once you've done your marketing preparation, you can then begin to write your cover letters.

 

The keys to a successful cover letter are:

• it's addressed to a named individual;
• it grabs the reader's attention in the first paragraph;
• it sounds confident without being arrogant;
• it focuses on your key accomplishments (not duties and responsibilities)
• it's no longer than one page;
• it presents your Unique Selling Proposition (USP);
• it uses action verbs;
• it requests action (usually an interview).

 

Ready to write a dynamic cover letter? Follow this link to our Dynamic Cover Letters Cover Letter Formula.

 

Still have questions? Then check out The Dynamic Cover Letters 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Cover Letters, with tips and advice on gaining a competitive edge.

 

If you feel you need an in-depth look at cover letters, then visit our Cover Letter Tutorial, with more than 100 pages to guide you through the process of writing a cover letter.

 

Not so sure you're ready to write your dynamic cover letter? Then follow this link to more Cover Letter Resources, including links to some great sample cover letters.

 

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Excellent Resume

 

A resume is a document that describes your work experience, your education (and any special training you have), and your skills. What makes an excellent resume, however, is marketing. You have to consider yourself a product, with the employer as the buyer...why should the employer buy (hire) you? Your resume is a key marketing tool in your employment search.

 

The keys to a successful resume are:

• it clearly identifies you;
• it provides a means for the employer to contact you;
• it identifies your career skills, interests, and strengths;
• it focuses on your key accomplishments (not duties and responsibilities)
• it highlights your educational success(es);
• it uses action verbs;
• it's no longer than one page for college grads and no more than two for everyone else.

 

Ready to take a stab at writing that excellent resume? To get help in writing a traditional resume, go to our Fundamentals of a Good Chronological Resume.

 

Not so sure you're ready to write -- or what kind of resume to write? Then follow this link to lots of very helpful Resume Resources, including some great free sample resumes.

 

Want a professional evaluation of your current resume -- or perhaps have a professional resume writer craft a new resume for you? Please go to Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, where you'll receive personalized attention, excellent service, and professional guidance -- all at reasonable prices!

 

And do you know one of the most powerful uses of your resume? We're talking about giving a copy of your resume to your entire network of contacts. Not sure about networking? Go to The Art of Networking.

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Strong Interviewing Skills

 

No matter how introverted you may be, anyone can learn to interview well. It simply takes learning some basic rules and then practicing and refining your technique as much as possible.

 

But, remember that no matter how good your marketing preparation, cover letter, and resume may be, you can't get a job without a good interview.

 

Some basic facts about the interview:

• first impressions are key;
• the interviewer reaches a decision about you in the first five minutes;
• good interpersonal skills are extremely important;
• dress for success is more than a cliche...know the appropriate dress code -- and dress for success;
• you need to try and control the tempo and flow of the interview... don't just respond, but initiate;
• prepare for both traditional and behavioral-based interview questions;
• prepare questions to appear proactive;
• remember that you are selling a product -- yourself -- so don't be modest.

 

Wondering about the different types of job interviews? Then visit our Types of Job Interviews.

 

Get practice with various types of interviewing styles by taking advantage of our Job Interview Questions Database.

 

For all other information about interviewing, including information on traditional and behavioral interviewing, follow this link to Quintessential Careers: Interviewing Resources.

 

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Timely Follow-up

 

This last domino is as important as the first; if you don't follow-up and follow-through you might not be successful in your job search.

 

Follow-up includes:

• calling employers and asking for an interview;
• returning phone calls;
• sending out cover letters and resumes when asked to do so;
• writing thank you letters to anyone that has helped you in your search or who you have met;
• writing acceptance or declining letters to job offers.

 

Read more about interview follow-up -- and check out our interview follow-up do's and don'ts.

 

 

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

 

Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., creative director and associate publisher of Quintessential Careers, is an educator, author, and blogger who provides content for Quintessential Careers, edits QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and blogs about storytelling in the job search at A Storied Career. Katharine, who earned her PhD in organizational behavior from Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, OH, is author of Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates and A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market (both published by Ten Speed Press), as well as Top Notch Executive Resumes (Career Press); and with Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., Dynamic Cover Letters, Write Your Way to a Higher GPA (Ten Speed), and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Study Skills (Alpha). Visit her personal Website or reach her by e-mail at kathy(at)quintcareers.com.

 

Dr. Randall S. Hansen is founder of Quintessential Careers, one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well CEO of EmpoweringSites.com. He is also founder of MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of Quintessential Careers Press, including the Quintessential Careers electronic newsletter, QuintZine. Dr. Hansen is also a published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Finally, Dr. Hansen is also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years. Visit his personal Website or reach him by email at randall(at)quintcareers.com.

 

Maximize your career and job-search knowledge and skills! Take advantage of The Quintessential Careers Content Index, which enables site visitors to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets in 35 career, college, job-search topic areas.

 

 

 

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