Terry Pile
On Careers

Based on the phone calls I get in January, it appears that finding a new job is almost as popular as losing weight when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. In fact, finding a job or losing weight is not that dissimilar. Both involve a plan of action requiring hard work and determination. Although few people enjoy dieting or job hunting, here is some advice on making your New Year’s resolution a bit easier to swallow.

Get Focused

Most dieters begin by focusing on a specific diet plan. This gives them direction on types of foods they will eat and lifestyle changes to make in order to meet their weight loss target. Job hunters must also have focused career goals. What skills or experience do you want to promote? Which industries do you want to target? Job hunters who have worked in several industries and have held many different positions sometimes don’t focus on the type of job they want and end up with resumes that are too general. A one-size-fits-all resume is no longer effective in the world of “key words” technology.

Begin by asking yourself, “What do I enjoy and do well?” It will help if you make a list of seven to 10 achievements. Although most of the accomplishments should be work-related, sprinkle in a few from your recreational activities or volunteer work. They don’t have to be world-changing accomplishments, but they should have been enjoyable or personally rewarding. Maybe you found a bookkeeping error that saved your employer money, organized a company picnic or trained your coworkers on a new piece of software. Once you have written down your accomplishments, analyze the skills required. Look for patterns and identify the skills that you used and enjoyed the most. These are the skills that you will want to transfer to your next job.

Once you have identified your transferable skills, consider the industries you would like to work in. Do you enjoy travel, sports or playing the stock market? Select three or four industries that interest you and then prioritize. For example, if selling was one of the transferable skills you identified and you are a sports fan, you may want to focus on Sports Sales and Marketing as a career objective.

Just like dieters who must focus on an appropriate diet plan and exercise regime, now you have specific direction and can begin a targeted job search.

Identify Potential Employers

Weight watchers often discover new culinary delights and menu ideas when they adjust their diets to fit their weight loss strategy. Job hunters likewise will uncover a plethora of potential employers with a little bit of research. Instead of spending hours on the Internet looking for job openings, which is the tendency of most job hunters, do some research to uncover potential employers. Make a list of 30-60 “targets” in each of your selected industries. Don’t limit yourself to the obvious or popular companies like Starbucks, Microsoft or Costco. Minimize your competition by uncovering lesser known companies in the industries that interest you. Your local library will have a variety of directories to assist you with your research. For the Sports Sales and Marketing example, I identified over 100 potential local employers in the Sports Marketplace Directory. Ask the reference librarian to help you uncover these resources. It will save time and be more efficient than randomly surfing the Internet.

Expand your network

There is tremendous value in networking. That is why weight loss programs have clients attend meetings and support groups. By sharing your job search experience with others, you won’t feel isolated and may gather useful information about your target companies and referral sources, and perhaps a job opening or two. You may want to find a job search buddy you can call or meet for coffee on a regular basis. A job search buddy will keep you on track and accountable for the goals you set each week.

Expand your network by attending professional association meetings sponsored by your target industries. It will introduce you to current topics in the industry and individuals who work for the employers you identified. It will also help you learn “industry speak.” The more familiar you are with your target industries, the more likely you will appear as an “industry insider.” Professional associations also have job boards with job listings that aren’t usually available to non-members.

Set realistic goals and reward success

Make realistic goals for yourself and try to work on your job search every day. If you are working full-time, you should be putting 10-12 hours of effort into your job search each week. If you are currently unemployed, looking for work should be a full-time job. Don’t forget to reward yourself for the small successes. Meet your friend at the gym after that hard-won information meeting. Treat yourself to a walk in the park after spending three hours completing an online job application. Who knows, you may gain a new job and shed a few pounds in the process.

Terry Pile is the president of Career Advisors, providing career development, resume writing and outplacement services to individuals and small businesses. For more information, go to www.careeradvisorsonline.com.