Six Ways to Self-Audit Your Job Search

STOP! If you’ve been on the job hunt for three months with no results, it may be time to just Stop! Not forever, but it may be wise to take a break and self-audit your job search strategy. It has been said that you can’t keep doing the same things over and over again and expect different results. So, if you’ve been sending out hundreds of resumes and making follow-up calls with not one interview, you may need to stop doing what you’ve been doing. By making a few changes or taking a different approach, you may be able to break through and get the phone ringing.

1. Review your resume. Did you update it before your job search? Is it customized for the job and industry? Does each job section have accomplishment statements? Do they begin with a strong action word? Writing your own resume may save some money, but it may be time to invest in a professional who understands you, your job search and the job market.

2. Analyze your target jobs. Are you applying for jobs where you meet the minimum requirements, or are you just applying for jobs that sound interesting? Hiring managers and human resources managers check the minimum requirements for the first cut. If you’re applying for jobs you aren’t qualified for, especially in the same company or industry, you’re more likely to get rejected without a second look.

3. Assess your follow-up plan. Do you follow up after each application? Are you sending stock emails, or do you customize them with the hiring manager’s name and something specific about the job in the content?

4. Broaden your network. Get out of your comfort zone and attend some new meetings, seminars or social gatherings. It doesn’t have to be a professional organization. Go to a baseball game and talk to the people around you. Attend one of the many fall festivals in your community, or sign up for a 5K run or walk. Or better yet, volunteer to be part of the organizing committee. You’ll work with the other organizers and meet lots of participants who could be leads to your next job.

5. Record your “30-second” introduction and play it back. Your voice says a lot about your speaking ability and confidence. Have you lost some of your enthusiasm or edge over the past months? Do you believe in what you are saying? Disappointment shows up in your voice. Practice your introductions until you have regained your confidence and positive voice.

6. Make a list. The longer the search goes on, you are more likely to compromise your job requirements for anything that will pay the bills. While that may be necessary at some point, make a list of your “Must Haves” for a job. Also, make a “NO Way” list, to remind you of what you absolutely don’t want, like working the night shift or traveling more than 25 miles from home. Keep it close and hold out as long as you can.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for BusinessWorkForce.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients reinvent their careers for today’s job market. You can read more of her blogs at businessworkforceblog.com and view additional job postings on Nexxt.