JOB SEARCH SKILLS CHECKLIST

Conducting a thorough and successful job search can be challenging. The checklist below should give some helpful tips that will contribute to your search for an exciting job in your career field of interest.

_____ Analyze your skills, interests, and personal qualities and match your characteristics to career opportunities that exist in the job market.

_____ Identify a clearly defined job target.

_____ Examine the realistic aspects of the career fields you are interested in (geographic location, advanced degrees required, etc.). Look at the challenges you may face in making a specific career choice and explore ways that you can overcome any barriers.

_____ Contact at least 10 – 15 people (family, friends, relatives, associates, etc.) - to create an effective networking system.

_____ Prepare a professional, concise resume and, if appropriate, compile a professional portfolio to present

to employers.

_____ Research potential employers in your field. Ask your professional contacts about openings they know of in your field, research the employers via the Internet, use the employer directories available at the Career Services Office or the Crabbe Library, and talk to your faculty about industry contacts they may know about. Identify 20 – 30 organizations that interest you and that are located in the geographic region that appeals to you.

_____ Research salary ranges and find out the “market value” of the positions you are applying for – see faculty in your major or use the resources in Career Services to learn appropriate salary ranges for your field.

_____ Visit the web sites of all the organizations that you are targeting. If you cannot find out any employment information via the web site, consider making cold calls to the employers in whom you are very interested. Obtain employment information by asking specific questions – find out if they anticipate any openings in your career field and find out the name and title of the person that you need to forward your resume and cover letter to; and don’t forget to ask what the steps they will be taking for selecting and interviewing candidates (ask what the deadline for resume submissions and find out if they have a tentative hiring date).

_____ Follow up with correspondence to employers by emailing or sending cover letters written specifically to each employer and your professional resume to them in a timely manner.

_____ Prepare for interviews by conducting research about the companies that you have contacted and participate in a mock interview through Career Services. Be sure to practice answering behavioral based questions and be prepared to ask the employer intelligent, well thought out questions about the position and the company. Interview them just as much as they are interviewing you.

_____ Following any interviews write thank-you letters and make follow-up phone calls to each potential employer.

_____ Actively seek feedback on interviewing skills.

_____ Evaluate job offers to be sure they meet your desired level of work satisfaction.

_____ Negotiate realistic salary and benefits according to your “market value”. Talk to your faculty or contact the Career Services Office if you do not know your “market value”.

_____ Review “Making the Most of Your New Job” in this guide to be successful in your new career.

Using this job search skills checklist will help you set specific deadlines for accomplishing your goals and put you closer to securing an exciting position in the job market. Review the Job Search Guide links for details about taking steps to ensure a successful job search.