As I sit and type this, the unemployment rate in the US has hit 7.6% with predictions it will climb to 9% by the end of ‘09.  As one
of the millions who conducted a job search, I thought I would post some tools, thoughts and links that might be of help to
others in this situation.  Remember, you are not alone in this and when those dark moments of hopelessness come, and they
do, go for a walk, call a friend, take a breath and begin again.  


Tools
To help support you in your search, I have posted a set of Excel spreadsheets with some tools that I developed to help me in
my search.  I have found organization and record keeping are crucial in keeping me on track.  You don’t want to forget to call
someone or apply for the same job over and over again.  

Here is a summary of the tools in the spreadsheet.  There is ‘Help’ in the spreadsheet with more details to get you going.
  • To Dos – a spreadsheet that helps you organize your day.  I found it helpful to break it down into Meetings, Contacts,
    Follow-Ups and To Dos.  
  • Under the To Do grid is a place to list websites and companies to check out.  You can add them to your to do list
    when you have time for them.
  • Contacts – List out all your contacts and the communications you have with them.  You can track next steps and up to
    122 interactions with each contact.
  • Applications – use this sheet to track all of your job applications.  You can nest Word documents into the file so you can
    keep track of the job postings, customized resumes, cover letters and even thank you notes.

Click the link below, and choose Save in the pop up box.  Save the file to your PC.  Open the file in Excel and off you go.  You will
need to enable Macros if prompted.

If you have any ideas for improving these tools, please let me know.

    * If you can't use any of the functions, check your Macro Security in Excel by clicking on Tools -> Options ->
    Security.  Click the Macro Security button and make sure your level is set to Medium, not High.
Job Seeker Tools
Thoughts on Job Searching...  

  1. Network, network, network.  Talk to everyone you know and everyone they know.  This week will mark the 100th job I’ve
    applied for online.  These days, it’s about who you know.
  2. Be brutal with your resume and then find some people to tear it apart even more.  The same goes for your cover letter.  
    In this job market, a typo might be all it takes.  If you ask for feedback on your resume and get a “looks good” that
    person has probably not read it closely enough.  Don’t just ask for general feedback, ask your reviewers to list your
    skills based on what they saw or if they know you, does what they read describe you?
  3. Resumes are very personal.  You will get lots of feedback that doesn’t work for you.  (Which is why you should always
    get some feedback from people if they spend the time with it.)  
  4. Your resume won’t be done for a while.  It will evolve as you become savvier at the search process.  Don’t hesitate to
    tweak.
  5. Make your resume count, the same for your cover letter.  You have just a handful of seconds with someone to make
    that first impression.  Make your profile or objective powerful.  Think, if a reader scans this, will they want to read more?
  6. Make it pretty.  Style counts.  Once you’re done, make sure it is formatted so that it is easy on the eye.  It should have
    open space so a reader can make notes.  
  7. One or two pages please.  Just make them feel full.  Three pages feels pretentious, regardless of your experience.
  8. Refresh your resume online regularly, even if it is just to repost the same resume.  This brings it back to the top of the
    search results for employers.
Helping individuals and organizations achieve...