Resume or Linkedin Profile? Answer ads or call my friends? There is a simple, comprehensive way to conduct your job search. The five-step process was pioneered by the GetFive organization.

First – Assess your skills and decide on a job target. You need to choose a job target which includes a job title, geographic location and industry. Once you have a job target or two or three, you can work on your resume.

Second – Create one resume for each job target. If you want to be a Project Manager or an Event Planner you really need two separate resumes.. You really don’t need to re-write the whole thing. The first half of the first page includes your job target or title, key skills and top accomplishments. You can easily change those key words and accomplishments for a different job target. Do not include a photograph or references or personal, informal description of you.

Third – Linkedin Profile until you have selected your job target. If you have two or more job targets, then you need to make your Linekdin page broad and all encompassing. Make it passionate. Include key words and accomplishments. Hiring managers and search firms are all using key words to troll for candidates on LinkedIn. Don’t say you are “open to new opportunities”. That just says you are unemployed. They will find you..
Do include a photo – better make it professional, not a selfie. Do include three references – NOT endorsements. Include a personal, passionate summary that is written in the first person.

Fourth – Make a list of all your contacts, your personal network and professional network. With a job target and a resume you can make a list of companies where you want to work and then send out direct emails to the hiring manager at the company. Ask for a meeting. Make the call.

Focus on one thing at a time. Don’t spend more than 10% of your time on answering ads on the Internet. Do something each day to move forward with your job search.

Spend your time each day on talking to your network, going to networking events to expand your network, writing directly to companies, calling hiring managers to get informational meetings.

Remember, a job search is a marathon, not a sprint.
Come to my workshop, August 17 at SIBL, 12-1:30 on Finding the Hidden Job Market.

www.geffencareers.com