How To Write An Effective Resume -- Step ONE

Step One:

What kind of job do you want?

Reality plays a key role in job hunting. If you're focused on getting a job that's really beyond your reach, you're wasting valuable time. So your first step should be to decide what kind of job you're qualified for.

Picking jobs to go after is relatively easy for those who've been in the job market, who know their qualifications and experience and know which employers are likely to be hiring. But for people who haven't worked in several years and want to get back into the labor market, as well as for those whose jobs have become "obsolete" in a changing society or a weird economy -- things aren't so simple. We'll cover all of these.

A special word to people who were fired, reorganized, downsized, rightsized, or laid off. People who are suddenly jobless need to take special care to stay realistic and positive. Remember:

You do have a new full-time occupation the moment you're fired or laid off: that occupation is job-hunting. Treat it as serious, full-time work immediately and you'll get results. This isn’t a cliché -- it’s the truth.

Admit your faults. Like it or not, good workers are fired or laid off far less often than marginal ones. It is beneficial to think about why you were let go -- so you can do better in your next job -- but don't dote on it! Once you're let go, you're gone, and pitying yourself or blaming others is a huge waste of time -- like eating cheesecake and promising to diet "tomorrow." Think about it for a day if you must, then forget it and concentrate on doing what's necessary to get a job. You'll get results far faster than someone who wastes time being angry, or blaming others, or just plain sulking. None of those will get you a paycheck!

Now that you've decided self-pity is self-defeating, read on. Educate yourself on how to look for a job, and go to it!

Regardless of whether you've been working for years or are new to the job market, list everything you've done and been paid for. Include jobs around the house if you enjoyed them, and don't automatically exclude anything. You can always knock out items later. Do it NOW:

THINGS I’VE DONE AND BEEN PAID FOR

1.______________________________

2.______________________________

3.______________________________

4.______________________________

5.______________________________

6.______________________________

7.______________________________

8.______________________________

9.______________________________

10._____________________________

11._____________________________

12._____________________________

13._____________________________

14._____________________________

15._____________________________

16._____________________________

17._____________________________

18._____________________________

19._____________________________

20._____________________________

21._____________________________

22._____________________________

23._____________________________

24._____________________________

25._____________________________

26._____________________________

27._____________________________

28._____________________________

29._____________________________

30._____________________________

Use another sheet if you need more space. Take your time -- this can be important to you!

Go through your list, crossing out things you'd rather not do again and circling things you enjoyed. (If you cross everything off, start over again; you’re not being realistic about what you can and can't do.)

The list you have should begin to crystallize for you the kind of job you might like and are (or aren't) qualified for. If it becomes clear to you that there's a significant gap between the job you want and the job you're qualified for, you have two choices. If you can afford to wait for the job you want (financially and emotionally), then be particular and go after what you want, but be prepared for a long search and a lot of preparation. If you can't hold out, set your sights lower and go after what you want aggressively. (How is explained in the pages that follow.)

If you need to know more of something to get a better job, ask human resources /personnel/employment officials of a "target" employer what you should do to become a better candidate for employers like them. Especially in a down economy, these people will try to help you. It's also possible that you'll stand out in their memories when jobs matching your experience do become available.

Follow up on educational courses they recommend or, if that's financially impossible, resolve to do it once you're earning a steady income. Make education a priority: college graduates earn more than those who barely made it out of high school. (Long term, a college education is a terrifically wise and productive investment. Almost any career can offer you more potential for advancement and the fatter paycheck that goes with it if you have a degree.)

It's also very worthwhile to talk to people who already have the specific kind of job you want and find out how they: 1) became qualified and 2) got the job. Asking them simple questions can alter your approach to your own job hunt, in many subtle ways. You may learn helpful hints you'd otherwise have missed. (More on Networking later.)

Sometimes, recently hired people, whose names are announced in local papers, are good sources of information. Call them. Tell them who you are, what your situation is and what you're trying to do. More often than you might think, they will take the time to help you. And you probably wouldn't want to work with those who don't care enough to help, anyway!

Go to Step Two