Thursday, July 19, 2007

Tip: First Steps in your Colorado Job Search

This week, two people whom I have hired at previous employers have pinged me with a request for help in starting their job search. Both got caught in a layoff, and I don't have a current requisition that matches their skills. Here's the advice I've shared with them.


Sorry to hear about your change. I'm happy to do what I can to help. Here are a few suggested steps to accelerating your job search (you may have done some of these already). This isn't meant to be an exclusive list, but a few ideas of things to do to get started:
  1. Update your resume.

  2. Start networking - let everyone know you're looking. My last three jobs have come through networking. It does work.

  3. Create, amplify or build up your LinkedIn network <www.linkedin.com>.

    • Put your resume into your profile. List all the companies you've worked for (this makes is easier to find collegues). Make sure you have some keywords in your summary.
    • Use the Find Colleagues tool to locate people you know, and send out a customized invitation to them.
    • Change your profile address from http://www.linkedin.com/pub/odd numeric string to something more reachable like http://www.linkedin.com/in/yourname. The first name/lastname style is standard.
    • Make sure your profile says you're interested in new jobs.
    • Get recommendations! We recruiters look for those.
    • Make sure your e-mail address from your current company's is in your preferences. Once you leave, you can't add it.

  4. Sign up for a job aggregator like Indeed <www.indeed.com>. An aggregator is a search engine for jobs. You can set up and save key word searches, and every night Indeed will e-mail you a list of openings that match. Indeed spiders HotJobs, Monster, CareerBuilder, Jobing and a bunch of other job boards. There are a bunch of other aggregators out there, but not all are good. I recommend avoiding Jobster (long story).

  5. Get on the jobs mailing list for the Rocky Mountain Internet Users Group <www.rmiug.org>.

  6. Check out your local user's groups. Most disciplines have them - groups like CTRN, BAHRA, RMIUG, APICS, SWE, ASTD and BWA, among others.

  7. Take advantage of all the outplacement help that your employer is giving you. The average participation in these programs is usually around 50%.

  8. Stay current - read a few blogs to keep up. Industry blogs are good, as is that NotJobs blog. That guy's Tips section is pretty good, if I do say so myself.

  9. Work. Be prepared to devote some serious time to your job search.