How to Organize Your Job Search

If looking for a job has become your job these days, it is imperative to organize your search so you can reap the maximum benefits from the time you spend applying for work. Take some time to make initial decisions and create a few job search tools. Set yourself up for success by doing a little advanced planning which will make searching a bit easier.

1. Set parameters.

Ask yourself some questions like: Do you want to relocate? What is your salary range and will you negotiate? Do you want to manage a team? What are your values - personal and professional? When doing your research, you may find companies that conflict with your values and, if so, eliminate them from your job search. Once you have some definitive answers, you can decide which companies are worth applying to, which types of jobs you want to pursue and where you want to invest your energy.

2. Create a spreadsheet for your job search.

Set up a spreadsheet with columns to keep your job search organized. You can add as much information as you want but the fundamental columns should include: the date you applied for a position, the company name, where you found the posting (Monster, Newspaper, etc), hiring manager's name, and finally a column with the job description and required qualifications. The average amount of time that hiring managers are taking to contact job applicants has grown significantly. It's going to be really tough to remember the specifics about a job you applied for eight weeks ago when the hiring manager finally gets around to calling you. When they do contact you, you'll have the job requirements and qualifications at your fingertips.

Having this spreadsheet also gives you a cumulative view of what you are doing with your time. At the end of the week, you will have an overall feeling of accomplishment if you can look at your spreadsheet and realize you applied for fifteen jobs that week!

3. Create a job search folder on your desktop.

Inside that folder, add the following sub-folders: Resumes, Cover Letters, Reference Names, Job Application Information, and Thank You Letters.

Resumes: You will want to create a job-specific resume. You must tailor your resume to specific positions in order for hiring managers to find it in a keyword search. That means you want to have your 'objectives' or 'summary' section of your resume tailored to each job. If you're applying for a project manager role, begin your objectives by saying something like "Experienced Project Manager seeks..."

Cover Letters: Create a few different cover letters that summarize your skills. Create a cover letter specifying your management skills to send out for management roles. Create a cover letter specifying your extensive education for positions that emphasize education requirements. This way, you will have a bank of letters to choose from that you can then edit to match the role for which you are applying.

Reference Names: Take some time to create a page or two with your job references, phone numbers and email addresses. Cut and paste your www.linkedin.com recommendations and save those as a second document. Having a document with your references' names and phone numbers is very handy when you are filling out job applications.

Thank You Notes: It's important to send Thank You Notes or emails to anyone who interviews you for a job. Do not create a thank you letter or email in advance. Writing a thank you right after the interview will come across as more heartfelt than a generic one you write now. However, you should keep track of the thank you letters you sent and, if nothing else, this folder will serve as a reminder to send one every single time.

Job Application Information: When you start your job search, take a bit of time to look up addresses and phone numbers of your previous employers and educational institutions. Chances are you don't have this information on your resume but most hiring companies will want you to add this information on a job application. Create a reference document that lists the name, address and phone number of previous employers and schools. This will save you precious time later and you may even be able to cut and paste this information right into an online application.

4. Naming Conventions.

Take time to properly name the documents in your subfolders. You can be very organized and have ten different resumes for ten different fields you want to pursue but it won't help if you have to open ten different documents to find the relevant one. Name each document appropriately: Your_Resume_Project_Manager.doc or CoverLetter_HRManager_March09.doc. You will be able to immediately see which document you want to send for a specific job. You can always save it under a generic name before you send it: Your_Name_Resume.doc or YourName_CoverLetter_March09.doc.

Times are tough and jobs are hard to come by. It is important to plan ahead and be organized and proactive in your job search. This sets you up for success and will hopefully make your job search easier...and a lot shorter!