Clean up, Chin up, Shape up!

Ahh,  springtime is in the air. Snow is starting to melt, birds are starting to chip, flowers are starting to bloom. It’s a time of renewal and growth – a perfect time to finetune your job search for better results. What follows is a matrix of three ways each to improve upon three critical areas in job searches today. 

1. The phone is not going to ring on its own.

Let’s be honest. It’s easy to slip up and not follow up on every letter or email that goes out. Following up consistently, professionally, and with gentle persistence is the key to keeping momentum in your search. Everyone’s different in how they process information.

1. Think about how you work best and implement a new tracking system. There are as many ways to stay organized as there are months in the year, but the key is to identify which method that will work for you long-term. Are you a visual learner? Use a large white board or line a wall with index cards in your home office.  Are you always on the go?  Use an online contact management system that you can access anywhere (JibberJobber is my favorite – and it’s free, accessible from any Internet connection, and still of value once you’ve landed your new role)  Are you analytical?  Set up an Excel spreadsheet that you can sort by date, name, or company.
2. Increase your number of initial contacts each week. I can set the number or percentage that will work for everyone, but shoot for at least a 10% increase and hold yourself accountable.
3. Make yourself accountable and vow to not let any initial contacts slip through the cracks. Is there a call that makes you more nervous than usual?  Is there a contact that you seem to be procrastinating on?  Set it for your third call of the day. Warm up with two easier calls and then tackle the tough one once you’re warmed up. Reward yourself for each week where you follow up on 100% of your calls.  

2. Your online presence needs to be strategic and professional.

Do you know what the first and second page results look like when someone googles your name? Does your LinkedIn profile look fully fleshed out or would someone suspect you logged on one day, dabbled around, and then forgot about it? Your online professional identity (or lack thereof) is a critical part of your job search persona from here on out. Yes, executive recruiters and hiring companies are searching LinkedIn for passive job seekers. Yes, your name is being Googled. Yes, what you’re tweeting and posting can be found.

1. Google yourself and see if you like the results. Do you even come up in the results for your namesake? If the results don’t reinforce your strength and reputation as a professional in your field, work on improving the situation on your own or speak with a career professional to develop a strategy to change the search results for the better.
2. Review your LinkedIn profile.  Do add a picture to your profile to engage the reader and put a name to the face for networking purposes, but be sure your picture is clear, professional, and attractive. Smile. No mug shots!  Take advantage of your summary – load your profile with key words to improve your odds of showing up in search results.
3. Add one new social networking platform to your toolbox – Twitter (my first choice), Facebook, or your own blog are some ideas. This list of course assumes that you’re already on LinkedIn. If you not, then get on that!  

3. Your job search documents must be clear, concise, and on target.

When was the last time you revamped your resume? Could you cover letter be more compelling? Write tight and concise. Make every word and sentence count. If it doesn’t add value, consider removing it. Can it be said with fewer words?  If so, do it. Professional resume writers know it’s harder to write well with fewer words than it is when you have the luxury of space. Anyone can ramble on. It takes a good writer to convey her thoughts in fewer words. 

1. Back to basics – email your resume and cover letter to yourself and at least one other friend with a different email provider to ensure it transfers with its format in tact.
2. Objectively read through your cover letter and resume. Would you want to meet you? Make at least two changes to your cover letter to make it more compelling. Read through your resume with a critical eye. Does it lead with a branding statement and does all of its content support that statement? Consider removing any information that detracts from that message.
3. Evaluate how quickly your letters and emails are getting to the point. Is your resume front-loaded with a branding statement and executive summary? Nowadays,with so many documents being opened on Blackberries and smart phones, it’s more important than ever to be able to grab the reader’s attention early. Consider the subject line of an email a bulletin board to convey your strengths. Never just write “Resume attached”  

So there you have nine things to do now to retool, refocus, and organize your job search efforts. In a nutshell: clean up, chin up, and shape up!  Read below for more suggestions on how to spring clean your job search from my fellow members of the Career Collective:

Personal Branding to Fire Up Your Job Search, @DebraWheatman

Succeeding in a “Final Jeopardy! World”, @WalterAkana

5 Steps to Retool & Jumpstart Your Job Search, @erinkennedycprw

Your Job Search: Let’s Just Start Again Shall We? @GayleHoward

Checklist for Spring Cleaning Your Job Search, @careersherpa

5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Job Search, @heatherhuhman

Ten Surefire Ways to Organize Your Job Search, @KatCareerGal

Put Spring Into Your Job Search, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland

Toes in the Water, @ValueIntoWords

How to Revitalize a Stale Job Search, @KCCareerCoach

How to re-think your job search, @Keppie_Careers

Wake Up and Smell the Flowers: Spring Cleaning Your Resume, @barbarasafani

Spring Cleaning and Your Personal Brand, @resumeservice

Spring clean your mind clutter first, @DawnBugni

Managing Your Career 2.0: On Giving Something Up To Get It Right, @Chandlee