An integral part of any successful job search is keeping track of the details. How often are you sending out resumes? How much time do you spend networking? Have you followed up on every lead? Which contacts have you called? Can you even remember how many jobs you've applied to?
Documenting your job search offers an opportunity to stay organized, analyze your search skills, spot search patterns and, most importantly, stop repeating the same mistakes. And the best part is you can start right now.
Why Do It?
Intense job hunting can feel chaotic at times. You're sending out tons of resumes, making lots of contacts, attending networking events and going out on interviews. Then, the phone rings and you have no idea who's on the other end of the line.
Diligently documenting your search gives you a quick reference guide you can use to refresh your memory when you need it most. Instead of stammering, you can instantly refer to your documents, project a professional demeanor and increase your likelihood of getting a job.
The 411
Your documentation should be comprehensive and clean. Keep a list of contacts with detailed information about each individual and the dates you connected with them.
Also, keep a list of the companies to which you've sent resumes, the names of any recruiters you've spoken with at the company and notes on your conversations. It is also helpful to clip or print the corresponding help-wanted listing as well.
After an interview or networking event, go home and write down your thoughts. Pinpoint positive and negative aspects. Where did you falter? Where did you shine? When and how did you follow-up? What was the outcome? These questions and their answers are key in analyzing your search.
Just Do It
Don't worry too much about the format with which you document your search; just do whatever works for you. You'll be more likely to keep doing it if the method melds with your personal style.
Some people prefer to keep a handwritten journal, three-ring binder or planner while others are more inclined to use the computer.
What matters most is that the information helps you be better prepared when opportunity knocks. Or calls.
What You Learn
Once you've been documenting your search for a few weeks, review your notes. They should reveal emerging trends and patterns from week to week.
Ask yourself: What's working? What isn't? When were you most productive? Where could you change your strategy? What other types of search methods could you implement and which ones should be shelved for a while?
By analyzing your search, you can easily identify where there's room for improvement. Your documentation is also evidence of how hard you've been working to find a job.
