New Year's Resolutions

Job Search Tips January 2003

For your job search

Many of us use the New Year as time to reflect and reevaluate hopes, goals and dreams. Career experts also agree that this is not a bad time to reevaluate your job search strategies and techniques.

Take a good long look at what presented itself as an obstacle or gave you a problem in the past year. Was it finding companies to target? Was it getting interview opportunities? Or, was it getting job offers? Reflect on what gave you trouble in the past year and make a commitment to focus on those areas in the coming year.

Career Watch offers these tips and suggestions:

Create a Job Search Schedule.
Do at Least One Job Search Task a day.
Target a few companies and send a customized cover letter.
Don't let rejection slow your search.
Remember the next 365 days are a big, empty space, waiting to be filled with great things. Improved things. Although many of us may not realize we are doing it, making career and workplace resolutions at this time of year is relatively common.
Take the time to set goals and resolutions, this technique is the tactic that successful and happy people practice. Ask yourself questions such as: Am I gaining skills and growing career wise? And, am I happy with my chosen career direction? This is a good place to start off.

Handling Rejection

The average job search lasts about 4 months according to outplacement statistics from Manpower, Challenger, and Gray & Christmas. Rejection has tendency to shatter egos, however, we need to turn this around and use rejection as a tool to work on our behalf and to our benefit. If you finf yourself being slowed down by the rejection process try to become proactive and turn your weaknesses into strengths. Try this approach:

Ask why you didn't get the job. It may be something you didn't even consider.
Do something different. If your job search strategy isn't working it may be time for a new approach.
Remember that many companies step up their hiring at the beginning of the year, fat with new hiring budgets.
Stay positive and stick to your resolutions and you'll improve your chances for a Happy New Year.

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