Setting Up Your Job Search Control Room
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
- Seneca (Roman Philosopher, Mid 1st Century A.D.)
Good fortune, in some way or form, comes to us all. It is
they who are prepared to receive it that notice its arrival
and reap the rewards. When it comes to your job search, you
should leave nothing to chance and employ as many
strategies and tools as possible to ensure the best chance
for success. Here are some recommendations for maintaining
your work area that will make you more search efforts more
efficient and effective:
The Different Divisions of “Mission Control”
If executed with diligence, your job search will have many
facets. You will manage searches with multiple online job
boards (some highly specialized), record contacts and
conversations with multiple personnel from various
organizations, customize resumes and related documents for
each employer submission, and track your countless
follow-up efforts. To ensure you stay on top of the myriad
of strategies and tactics you have in place at one time,
you need to establish a stand-alone control area where
nothing outside of the job search realm takes place:
Separate Control Room - If available, utilize a low-traffic
room with a door that you can close to reduce outside
noise. Keep it neat and clean. You need room to pace and
clutter distracts you from thinking clearly. Print your
favorite motivational quotes and post around the room. You
want to create a positive atmosphere to carry you through
any unsuccessful efforts.
Desk – Be sure to stock your desk with the basics (pens,
highlighters, correction tape, notepad, telephone message
pad, 10×13 envelopes). As with the room, keep your desk
clear of clutter and establish a separate area for hot
items that require immediate attention.
Computer and Printer – If you share a desktop computer with
family members or roommates, arrange priority access in
advance before beginning your search. Organize your
computer file tree to make documents easily accessible.
Create a separate desktop ID from the rest of the household
and keep your virtual world desktop as clean as you keep
the real world desktop. Maintain separate areas for job
search file shortcuts and related programs. Of course, a
laptop of your own makes this a much easier task.
If you are going to print resumes from your printer at
home, make sure the printer is one of quality. Guard
against fuzz around the printed letters and streaks on the
page. Be sure the high quality setting is just that. The
text should be dark and rich. If you don’t own a quality
printer, bring your files to a professional copy center
such as Kinkos and have them to print your resumes for you
on high quality resume paper.
Telecommunications - If the room does not have a phone
line, perhaps you can purchase a cordless phone instead of
incurring the cost of installing another phone jack. For
about $25, you can get an inexpensive headset that can be
utilized during employer contacts and phone interviews.
This allows you to record the notes of your conversations
unencumbered by having to hold the receiver. Additionally,
you won’t be distracted by weary arms during a lengthy
interview session.
Many telephone company packages offer free secondary
telephone numbers with distinct ring patterns. Securing a
second number for the job search with a different ring
pattern warns you and those who live with you that the call
coming in is a job contact. Now everyone knows to be on
their best behavior before the call is answered, and you
can take a second to pull yourself together before
answering the phone.
Also, look into subscribing to an online fax service.
Companies like Send2fax.com offer packages for as low as
$7.95 per month. This is a much better short-term option
than purchasing a new fax machine. If all goes well, you’ll
only need it for a month anyway!
Embarking on your job search should not be taken lightly.
Sitting down on the couch, grabbing the three-day old
newspaper, and circling two or three openings for the week
just won’t cut it anymore … the competition is too fierce!
Remember, every day that you are unemployed results in lost
revenue. Inefficiencies such as precious time wasted
looking for files on your computer, or inappropriate noises
in the background when you answer the phone, could all
result in a longer road to employment than necessary.
Take the time and effort to prepare your workspace, then
keep your eyes open for opportunity, because luck won’t be
far behind.
—————————————————-
William Mitchell is a Certified Professional Resume Writer
and Owner / General Manager of the Resume Clinic
(http://www.theresumeclinic.com), serving clients in the
United States and Canada with highly targeted and effective
resume and cover letter packages since 1995.
