Quintessential Careers:
Job-Hunting Do's and Don'ts
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
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Here are the keys to successful job-hunting.
- Do use all avenues/methods of job-hunting available. And do have a
job-hunting strategy.
- Do take advantage of all
Web-based job-hunting methods,
including general job-hunting sites, industry-specific job sites, company sites,
and networking sites.
- Do know the Job-Search Domino Effect.
- Don't rely on any one method of job-hunting, especially job-hunting
on the Internet (which should be at most 25% of your efforts), but do consider using
our Quintessential Careers Job Board.
- Do have a professional looking resume and cover letter.
And do use action
verbs in your cover letters and resume. And for help analyzing your work
experience, do complete a job-seeker
accomplishments worksheet.
- Do focus on identifying your key
accomplishments. Also, do use transferable skills
to better explain your work experience -- especially for recent college grads and
career changers.
- Do consider developing a job
skills portfolio, which showcases everything you have to offer a prospective employer.
- Do consider having multiple versions of your resume,
including a traditional formatted resume, text-based (ASCII) resume, and a Web-based resume.
- Don't expect to get a new job overnight; job-hunting takes time and patience.
But do take some time to reflect
on your strategies if you have been job-hunting for several months and have not had any success.
- Don't quit your current job until you have a new job. And do give proper notice
when you quit your current job.
- Do know the current dress
for success rules for job-hunting.
- Do take advantage of your friends, family, and colleagues to
network, network, network.
And don't simply rely on passive job-hunting methods.
- Don't get discouraged if you’ve been
fired or downsized.
- Do follow-up all job leads. And do be persistent; there is truth to the "squeaky wheel" cliche.
- Do make sure a potential employer can reach you. Provide your
home phone, work phone (if you can handle the calls discretely), cell phone, and email.
And do make sure that your voicemail (or user name for e-mail) is professional.
- Do prepare and practice for your job interviews.
And do be sure and ask questions at the interview.
- Do conduct research
on all companies that interest you.
- Do send thank
you letters to all people who interview you.
- Do make sure you know these other job-hunting do's and don'ts: Job-Hunting Do's and Don'ts Articles.
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.
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.
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