.... The Ultimate Checklist for Job Search Success BY BLOGJULY 1, 2016INTERVIEWING FOR A JOB, JOB SEARCH, PRODUCTIVITY, RESUMES & COVER LETTERS Looking for a new job can be overwhelming, with so many moving parts and mentally draining elements like writing great cover letters, interviewing, and following up. It’s tough to stay on track! But the truth is, if you’re serious about finding a new job there are a few essential steps you just can’t miss. Here is a comprehensive checklist to help you stay organized and nail the job search process. There are five “sections” and several checkpoints within each. Ready? You got this! Plan & prepare Thoroughly consider what you’re looking for in a new job or company, including values, culture, location, opportunities for growth and anything else that’s important to you. Evaluate what types of jobs are you qualified for. Are there additional skills you need before applying for a job you desire? Consider your expectations for salary and benefits. While you want to keep an open mind, knowing these factors will help you evaluate opportunities. Think about how will you distinguish yourself from other job seekers. Have you researched the field and companies you are interested in? Reach out to your network: are there any personal contacts or advocates you have that could provide an intro at these companies? You will be able to identify these contacts in the Rake app when you save jobs. Begin searching for jobs that interest you and save them from anywhere using Rake. Be sure to save a copy of the job description in the app as well. Update and prepare your resume Is your resume up to date with your latest job(s), as well as any skills, certifications, knowledge and interests you have since developed? Consider creating a personal website or online portfolio to help you stand out. Review strong examples of resumes and compare to see how yours can improve. Ask a friend or mentor to review your resume and provide feedback. Proofread for grammatical errors and spelling and check for dead links if you included any. Be sure to target your resume to the job and/or company for which you are applying. Prepare a targeted cover letter For each job, you’ll need to write a one-page dynamic cover letter, ideally addressed to a specific individual. Here are a few great examples for various industries. Be sure to use specific examples and reference relevant accomplishments to convey what value you can bring to the potential employer and how you can meet their needs. Demonstrate company knowledge by pointing to specific things you appreciate about the company and their work. Proofread for grammatical errors and spelling, and ask a friend or mentor to review for feedback. Include your contact information and request action (an interview) from the hiring manager. Send your cover letter with your resume and any other necessary requirements for the application. Be sure to update your to-do list for individual jobs in Rake. Interview Prepare for the interview by researching the company, including what they are doing well and what they could improve Prepare for specific questions you will be asked, including common interview questions but also relevant to your industry and the role you’re applying for. Prepare to ask good questions. Be sure to review your notes from section 1: what you are looking for in an employer. Practice with a friend or mentor, or even in a mirror. If it’s a phone interview, be sure to have a calm, quiet place and set up 10 minutes prior. Check your connection and have your cover letter, resume and any notes ready. If it’s an in-person interview, be sure to dress appropriately, look up directions so you plan to arrive early and gather what you’ll need to bring (copies of your cover letter, resume, your portfolio or any other relevant items). During the interview, address the hiring manager by name, smile, make eye contact, have a firm handshake and show enthusiasm for the company and job. Research salaries so you have a clear understanding for the field and be prepared to discuss your expectations. If necessary, prepare to negotiate. Upon ending the interview, be sure to have a clear understanding of next steps: when you expect to hear about the job and what the timeline looks like. Track your application in Rake and set follow up reminders for one week later (dependent on the timeline). Follow up Send thank you letters to any one you met with or anyone who helped facilitate the interview. Call or email the hiring manager a week later (dependent on the established timeline) if you haven’t heard anything to inquire about progress. If you receive an offer, review thoroughly, negotiate if necessary, and send a written acceptance or declining letter (with an explanation if relevant). Keep your network informed about your job search and follow up with anyone you have discussed potential leads with. Keep track of all applications in Rake and if you don’t get the job, remove and keep saving new opportunities. Finally, remember to set some time aside for yourself and enjoy the process. It’s easy to get stressed, so be sure to keep your check list updated in Rake so you don’t miss anything. You’re doing great, and the perfect job is just around the corner........... 5 Surprising Reasons You Haven’t Been Hired Yet BY BLOGMARCH 27, 2018CAREER ADVICE, IN-TRANSITION, INTERVIEWING FOR A JOB, JOB SEARCH Sometimes it seems like a job search can drag on for way too long, and it can be hard to figure out why you’re not getting the results you’re hoping for. In fact, there are so many steps involved in the job search process, it’s almost impossible to identify where you may be slipping up. Plus, there are some portions of the process that you may not even realize can be done wrong. For example, even the things that you don’t consciously express in cover letters or interviews can be detected by hiring managers. Check out below a few of the surprising reasons that you may not be moving forward in the hiring process: You lack confidence – Confidence is key in the job search process, and a lack of confidence has a bigger effect on success than many individuals may realize. First, a lack of confidence can hurt your chances of getting hired from the beginning. A negative mindset can lead to the self-fulfilling prophecy, in which a person who believes they won’t be hired, isn’t. Additionally, showing signs of a lack of confidence during an interview with a weak handshake or lack of eye contact, for example, could lead the interviewer to believe you would also lack confidence as an employee – obviously, not the impression you want to make. You’re being discriminated against – While job searchers should always take full responsibility for the success (or lack thereof) of their search, there have been cases in which an individual’s sex, gender, age, or physical appearance, ranging from race to beauty, have altered the results of an interview. Unfortunately, bias can be difficult to identify. However, if you feel 100% certain that you are a victim of hiring discrimination, you may choose to reach out to the company’s HR department to get the bottom of the situation. Or, you may choose to avoid the company altogether. You’re not networking – We can’t say it enough – networking is key to job search success. In fact, in this day in age, a large percentage of hires come from in-house recommendations. Think of it this way: if a person who will be working with you is recommending you for a position, you must be a great employee. Click here for some tips on informational interviews, a great networking tool you should be using. You’re only applying to “BIG” companies – Everyone loves to tell their friends and family where they’ve been hired, especially when those individuals will recognize the name. Let’s face it: getting those “oohs” and “ahhs” from others can make a new job that much more exciting. However, oftentimes the big corporate companies aren’t necessarily looking for the skills you provide at the time you’re providing them. For this reason, job searchers should also approach smaller companies, including startups, when sending in applications. You only have one resume and cover letter – Even if you’re applying to multiple positions in the same field, it’s very important to tailor each resume and cover letter to each position. We know, this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but skipping this step will put your resume behind any other that has been slightly altered for the specific job. Taking the extra time to change or add bullet points according to the job description has been proven to make a difference, and it’s worth the few minutes’ work. Another reason you may still be waiting for a call back from that hiring manager? An unorganized job search can lead to silly mistakes like forgetting interviews or failing to follow up. Luckily, there’s an easy fix to this problem! Download Rake today to organize your job search and keep everything in check, so you can focus on the most important step – getting hired.

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