Staying Organized in Your Job Search
Does this sound familiar? You open your computer, sign into Indeed, and scroll endlessly through job listings without applying to a single one. Or maybe you see a job you like but never end up finishing the application because you can’t remember all of your work history or find the materials you need to supplement it. These are the kinds of setbacks that can make job searching miserable. BUT - there is a saving grace! At Career Maven, we believe that organization is a key to success. And we know it can be a massive endeavor to figure out where to start. So today, we’re offering you a few tips on staying organized in your job search so that you can go through the application process like a boss.
Locate your career branding docs
If you’re just beginning your job search journey, the most important foundational step to take is to track your career branding materials. Make sure your resume, cv, etc. are up to date. And make sure that you actually know where they’re stored! The worst feeling is needing to grab your resume to upload for an application or print for an interview, and not being able to find it because you can’t remember what you named it. And if you’re trying to update your package, it’s a lot harder to start from scratch than it is to refurbish an outdated model.
In order to make it easier on yourself, take some time to locate those documents, and come up with a plan for how and when you want to update them. You don’t want the process to be long and burdensome. You’re still at the beginning of your strategy so the last thing you want is to already feel burnt out!
Set up a job search dashboard to keep everything in one place
The second step to organize your job search is to create a dashboard or hub to keep track of your networking engagements and job search applications. This could be a spreadsheet in Google Sheets or a document - it doesn’t matter exactly how you do it so long as it’s in the cloud! You’ll find that having access to your dashboard no matter where you are is more convenient than having it chained to the hard drive of your computer. Being able to access it on your phone means you could quickly input the info of a new contact without fear of losing their business card during a busy day, or take down the details of a job posting in the moment and not have to keep them in your memory bank until you get back home. Additionally, if something happens to your computer and your hard drive gets wiped, you’ll lose all of those contacts and all of that information. With the cloud, you’ll have access to everything you need no matter what device you’re on.
In terms of setting up the job search dashboard itself, the format can be as simple as this: name of organization, where you found the opportunity, a link straight to the application, when you applied, and a notes column. This allows you to organize your thoughts and keep track of the things you’re putting out in the universe because there’s nothing worse than a recruiter calling you about a job you don’t remember applying for! The other reason a dashboard is useful is that it can serve you in the way that a spending budget does. If you don’t keep track of your spending, the next thing you know you’re wondering where all your money went. But with a budget, you can see clearly where each dollar went for the week, month, or year. The same principle applies to job hunting. It can be an overwhelming experience and when you have so many other things going on, it’s difficult to keep track of what you’re doing and you may even begin to feel like you’re not doing enough. With a dashboard, you have tangible proof of exactly what you are and aren’t doing to encourage yourself and show you exactly where you have room to sharpen your focus.
Set aside time on your calendar to search - and stick to it!
Sometimes the hardest part of the job hunt is just finding time to regularly sit down and actually look and apply for jobs. But in the same way that you schedule meetings or lunch for work, you want to schedule time for your job search. If you only log on to look at openings once a month, you could be missing out on opportunities that align with you and the career story you want to tell. You don’t have to be combing through the job boards daily, but checking in a few times a week will keep you from missing out on postings that can and do move quickly. We’re all busy and the things we do are important, which is why it’s crucial to block time when it comes to job searching. If you put that time on your calendar, you’re just that much more likely to show up for yourself in that area.
The more you get organized with your job search, the more seamless it will be. And when you take time to set up a strategy beforehand, you can dive in with more clarity and less stress. We hope these tips will help you bring your best self to the game while you’re searching so that you can focus your time and energy on bringing your best essence into the room and landing the job you want!
Are you interested in more in-depth coaching when it comes to landing the job you want? Enroll in the Career Maven Academy today and join a community of women working to level up in their career journey.