Insanity Part 2--- Keeping Organized

One of the most stressful parts of looking for a job is keeping track of things during the application process. Every place these days seems to have their own systems of accepting applications. Some ask you to email an HR type inbox (after which you immediately receive a form response with the details of their hiring process or a basic thank you and we’ll get back to you- maybe). Others will ask you to fill out a form online and upload attachments for your cover letter and resume… or worse, make you copy and paste your resume and cover letter into the dreaded text box. As much as I’d love to give you a world of tips on how to navigate through those systems, I can’t… you just have to suffer through it and do it. But, I can help you stay on top of your applications so you know who you have already applied to, who you need to follow up with, and applications you still have pending. Read on.

When I want to stay organized in life, I have two main methods. Since so much of applying these days is via the internet, your inbox can be a great way to keep a handle on everything that is going out and coming in. Another way is to set up some sort of what I like to call a “Tracker.” This is an external database that you create and maintain to hold all of the information on every job to which you have applied or want to apply. I will outline both ways below and you can choose what makes sense for your personal style; I typically do a combo of the two.

Make your Inbox work for you
I am a huge fan of Gmail (you know, the email system provided for free by Google). If you have something else, what I mention here will still apply, but you might need to make minor adjustments.

Since I submit almost all applications electronically, I’ve devised a system to keep track of all of the emails I am sending out and receiving back. It’s pretty basic:

• While searching: I don’t search for jobs and when I find one apply for it right then and there (unless I am extremely excited and cannot wait even a second to begin my cover letter and update my resume). Instead, I copy and paste the posting into the body of the email (including web links, who needs to get this email, and notes to myself on the opening and what I might write in my cover letter), enter the subject line as the job opening and the company, and save it as a draft. I DO NOT enter anything in the “To” field. Doing that would probably result in a slip of the hand and the hiring manager reading my notes on the job posting which could say something like: “Might be way under-qualified but highlight college experience working in the writing center.” At the end of every day, I can look at my drafts and see how many jobs are out there waiting for my application.

• The initial application: Once I am in the mood to hammer out some cover letters and play around with resume formats (again), I go to my drafts and start working. When I have stuff ready to send out, I simply email the hiring manager with my attached documents and BCC myself on the email. I blind carbon copy myself because I think CCing yourself looks weird. I’d rather they not know I am including myself on the email. Then again, maybe I am just a secretive person and like to be stealth. Your call. Anyway, this just keeps a copy in my inbox with all of the relevant documents relating to that position, to which I can then attach a label.

• Application Statuses: To keep track of where each job stands, I attach a label to it. This is the Gmail version of a folder, so if you use Outlook or Hotmail or Yahoo or whathaveyou, you can use folders to do this very same form of organization. The labels I use are: Application Sent, Follow Up Call, 1st Interview, 2nd Interview, etc. When I am bored and I need something to do, I can click on Application Sent and see if any of them have been pending for more than a week and then I will do some sort of follow up call on those and switch their label. You can also have multiple labels on them, so you can keep everything in Application Sent and have the full list there.

• Threads: Since Gmail is brilliant, anything with the same subject heading will stick together in one long email thread. So, if I get a phone call from someone, I usually reply to my own email (just to myself) with notes on the phone call. Example: Spoke to Edith, had brief phone interview. Scheduled meeting with Jack for blank date, blank time. By doing this, I am keeping all records related to the job in one place.

That’s the basic system. If you are looking for something more detailed, then think about:

The Tracker
If you are the sort of person who likes to check things off as they get done, this kind of system is for you. You can tailor it to fit exactly your needs and at the end of everyday you can look back on your accomplishments and feel proud of yourself, which might be just the thing you need to feel if you are struggling through unemployment. It can be as simple as a word document or an excel sheet, or if you are super technologically savvy you could even set something up in Access or another Database application. That’s your call.

My personal favorite form of a tracker is in Excel (Spreadsheet if you are a Mac user). In my current job I practically live and breathe Excel trackers. I love them because you can add and remove columns (categories) with ease and you can filter and sort based on what you want to see. You can include links to websites or documents for easy reference. It’s a great way to keep everything in one place.

My basic tracker would include the following columns:

• Date Updated: Under this column you can keep track of when you last worked on this job opening. Don’t disregard keeping track of the date. You’d be surprised how fast the week goes by so you want to keep a record of when you last checked in on this job. Maybe you applied for it and haven’t heard anything and it has been a couple of weeks. That could be an indicator you need to check in. Maybe you have done all of your follow up and it has been a couple of months. Maybe it’s time to make this job inactive. Keeping track of the dates is a good reality check.

• Company: This one is pretty obvious. You need to know what company the job that you applied for is in… but, make sure to take this to the next level. The company name should be a link to the company website so you can easily access information on that organization if they call you and you need to jog your memory on who they are and why they applied.

• Open Position: Again, hello Captain Obvious. Enter the job you applied for in here and link it to the job posting/description. Why do you need to keep track of specific jobs/postings? (A) You might need to access the job description in a pinch and this will make it easier (B) These companies are probably posting multiple jobs and you might be interested in more than one. (C) They also might post it, remove it (either they filled it or decided not to hire at that time) and then post it again later on (maybe their new hire didn’t work out, maybe there are multiple people in that role and it opened up again). If you see the same posting later on that you’ve already applied for, you don’t want to send out the exact same application. What you want to do is write a follow up email or give a phone call and express something along the lines of: “I applied for this job back in April and I noticed you posted it as available again. I am still interested in this opening and would love to discuss my qualifications in person.” This shows that you are committed to their organization and the opening, and you will likely get an interview. (True story, this happened to me).

• Status: Where are you in the process? Here is where you can make note of whether you submitted your application yet, did the follow up (if possible), got an interview, had a second interview, etc.

• Resume Sent: Enter a link here to the copy of a resume that you sent out. If you are like me you have upwards of 10 versions of your resume. It’s always good to bring the same resume to your interview that you sent with your application (unless you have an improved version, in which case bring that).

• Cover Letter Sent: Enter the link to the cover letter you included. Sometimes I write silly little cover letters and I just like to read them to myself before I go to bed. Kidding. (A) It’s good to refresh yourself on all of the materials you sent to an organization before you go on your interview. That way, you can reiterate those main points and if they compliment you on your cover letter you know what they are talking about. (B) If you are applying for similar positions in multiple organizations, you can use the same basic cover letter tweaked with specifics that their organization might find applicable. If you have them all linked up here in this tracker, it’s easier to find and makes the application process that much easier. No one likes to write cover letters, so this way you have access to all of yours in one spot, linked up to job titles that they were used for.

• Other Notes: Here’s the place where you write all of the things you want to remember about a job. Maybe there was a concerning salary range you will need to know to address in case they give you an offer. Maybe you are bad with names and want to keep track of all of the people in the organization you have spoken with—Phone interview with Edith, Face-to-Face scheduled with Jack, etc. Anything you want to keep track of that can be useful down the road can be stored here.
  

The reason why Excel/Spreadsheet works so great is because you can filter. Depending on what aspect of your job search you are looking to focus on in that particular day, you can pull up your tracker and get the information you need. Maybe you are not in the mood to search new jobs that day. You can use this tracker to see which jobs you still need to apply for and make sure none fall through the cracks (I always think the fresher a posting is when you apply, the more likely you will get an interview). Or, you can see what jobs need follow up. Maybe there are jobs you haven't checked in on in a while and haven't heard back from them. See if they are still posted and if so, give that company a call.

**I realize this is a lot of info and it might seem like too much work to set up and maintain. I promise you it is not. And I truly believe if you have an organized system, eventually you will have success in your search. And if you don't, at least you will have a record of all of the jobs you have applied for and you can print out all of the cover letters and resumes you've sent, all of the email correspondance between you and corporations, all of the rejection letters.. and use them to wallpaper your bathroom as a last resort to curb boredom while unemployed. Happy hunting!**

Insanity? (Part 1--- Job Search Tips)

Apparently the fact I have applied to over 30 jobs so far is insane. I don't think so. I think I am just extremely good at finding jobs and I have a very organized system so I can apply to EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. It's called my "No Job Left Behind" Act.

Since there are tons of job seekers out there... I figured I'd share my secrets on how to find new job postings and how to stay organized when applying for them.

THE SEARCH

Get your feet wet with the basics: I start out using sites like Craigslist, Idealist (for non-profit opps), Monster, CareerBuilder, Indeed and Simply Hired.

• Craigslist: Craigslist is where I start when I am looking to see what is going on for jobs in different cities. It's mostly a time passer when I am at work... plus you can find lots of random local part-time opportunities from smaller business. For instance, I found a marketing assistant job (designing posters) for a local food restaurant/ market. Those are the types of opportunities that are a hidden gem on this site--- you probably won't find your next big career opportunity on this site, but you might find some good networking opportunities or basic administrative jobs to pass the time for now.

• Idealist: I signed up to recieve the daily alerts. You can select the states you want to be alerted about (right now mine are MA, CA, NY, and Washington DC) and they email you all of the new job postings. This is alot easier than checking Idealist daily. I set it up so my email account automatically filters all emails from Idealist into its own folder so I don't feel like I am cluttering up my inbox. Not only do I receive job postings from them, but I also ask for local Events and Volunteer opportunities. Sometimes the events are job fairs or interesting (and free) workshops that you can attend. And the volunteer opportunities are good to see because you might find a new organization you are interested in (which during your free time you can volunteer at) and maybe get a paying job from there.

• Monster and Careerbuilder: I find these sites mostly useless, but I consider them my "back pocket" sites. I have my resume posted on both of these and get alerts from them about new openings that I can pretty much take or leave. It's mostly recruiters from large corporations that will contact you, but it is still good to know what may or may not be out there (watch out for scams). I figure, if I am desperate down the road, I will use this more.

• Indeed & SimplyHired: Both of these search engines have the same general idea that you can search all job boards at once. I started out using Indeed, but SimplyHired has more filter options which are very handy when you want to narrow it down. For instance, if you search SimplyHired for jobs in publishing, then you can narrow it down by job title, salary, full time, experience level, degrees required, etc. I usually start out with a broad search and then narrow it down accordingly. You don't want to start too small, and a job posting might ask for a certain experience level but also think a combination of experience and education is okay. So don't sell yourself short by searching for only the opportunities you are qualified for-- you want to have stretch opportunities, too.

Branching out: Once you've done your basic search, you've hopefully found some jobs to apply for and gotten ideas for new searches you might want to do.

• From SimplyHired & Indeed: Since these sites are directing you to new job boards... take the time to search those as well. For example, I went on a publishing kick the other day and searched these sites for Editorial Assistant jobs across the US. One of the postings was listed on a website called journalismjobs.com. I then did a search on that website to see what else was out there (I started out very broad just to see what types of jobs were on there). From there I was able to see what other entry-level and mid-level job openings tend to be available in the field of journalism. Obviously, Editorial Assistant isn't the only way you can get your foot in the door in that field. If you have background in Marketing, that could be the way to go. Even Sales-- every publication needs people with Sales background and if that is the experience you have that is the way you can more readily transition to a new field.

• Local Job Boards: It's important to move beyond Craigslist when you are looking for local jobs. One of my favorite local boards is hireculture.com, which focuses on jobs in the Arts. It's updated daily and covers all of MA. You might think-- why do I care about MA jobs? Even if that isn't your location or your interest... you'd be surprised what finding sites like that can lead you to. For example, almost every site like this has a Resources page (or Links, or Related Links, it could be called several different things). On the Mass hireculture site, I was able to tap into the New York Foundation for the Arts job board. That led me to my dream job (below) and all of the resources on that site, which led me to Americans for the Arts job board... as well as various Museum opening job boards. Then, I googled "Cultural Councils California" and found another job board. This is just the route I took. You might have done the same thing and ended up on a completely different trail of sites, but I promise you will find something new every day.

• Do research to find a company you'd actually want to work for: Job search engines are only going to take you so far. Yeah, you will find everything that has posted out into the world wide web... but, that is only a percent of the number of jobs that are available. A lot of companies have recruitment departments within their HR team that serve the purpose of scouting out new talent. This means they don't neccessarily wait for prospective employees to contact them, they spend more time looking for you. What if you are not on their radar? You have to go onto their website to find them. How do you find these companies? A lot of publications keep lists of the Best Companies to Work For, Top Growing Small Business, Top Non-Profits etc. You just need to find the list. So instead of hanging out on Job boards... google Top Business in your area, or Top Non-Profits, and I guarentee you will find a list. (Newsweek.com, Inc.com, FastCompany.com all have such lists, for starters). From that list, go ointo each site individually to see how they do recruitment at their corporation and apply.

• Recruiters/ Headhunters: It never hurts to go to a recruiter. Right now I have two people from different agencies who are working to find me a job. How do you find a recruiter? This is where Monster and CareerBuilder can actually help you. Take a second to do a search for a job you'd want. From those results, at least half of them will be posted by staffing agencies. I don't recommend applying for the job right then and there (think about how many people are replying to that ad, and what kind of email inbox is it really going to? This is just the way they generate new leads).... Instead, go to the staffing agency website and look up what their company is about, what kind of jobs they usually have in their database, and if it seems like they could help you with more than just what they have posted. If they seem like a good fit, contact them through their website (don't go through Monster or CareerBuilder, and honestly, you don't even need to mention the job that you found and are interested in unless you think it could help them see what what type of job you are looking for. Those posted jobs are usually just generalizations or examples of types of jobs they have available and aren't usually specific openings) OR ask your friends if they have ever used that staffing agency. If you can get a name of a recruiter and contact them directly, that is far better than going through the form on the website. They are 100% more likely to get in touch with in 24 hours and will be more helpful down the road because they know you will report back to your friend (who could need them again in the future) and pass on their names to someone else.

The next steps: If you are doing all of this, you are probably generating tons new leads of jobs a day. Searching for a job IS a full time job... and you don't want to get yourself overwhelmed or confused (although I can imagine the tips above are both of those things).

• Focus: If you are unsure of what your next career move will be (but have a few ideas in mind) start by keeping a running list of the types of jobs that interest you as you find them. Then, you can do focused job searches by referring to that list. Each day, pick a focus and pursue it to its fullest to find all of the opportunities out there. Once you've gone through your full list, start from the beginning again and see what is new.

• Set up a schedule: Depending on the other things going on in your life, you will want to set up a schedule that you can stick to so you make sure you don't lose momentum. Maybe you are busy during the day, but have time to search while watching TV in the evenings. Maybe it makes sense for you to search for jobs during the day, keep a list, and then apply at night or the following morning. Maybe you can only commit to searching for jobs on the weekends, or a couple of times a week. You don't need to be strict, but definitely come up with some sort of a system or block of time that you can devote just to the job search. It will help in the long run.

• Be patient: Your dream job might not be out there today... but don't worry. Maybe you will find a good stepping stone job that will help you get to your dream job. Maybe in a few weeks your dream job will be posted somewhere. There is no sense in getting frustrated or upset during the search... you never know where life will lead you! Hang in there.

Those are all of the searching tips I can think of for now... Later on I will post more on how I keep organized when applying for all of these openings!