Job search strategy toolkit

In addition to making sure that you have a solid job search plan in place, an effective job search requires research and a thorough analysis of what you are looking for and why. In this toolkit, we’ll take you through a few activities that can help lay a strong foundation for an effective job search.

It can be easy to overlook how important it is to have a clear job goal and be able to state your job goal to others. Once you can do this, potential employers and people in your network will understand what you are looking for, which is a critical step in them seeing you in the role. A clear job goal is an immediate sign to others that you understand where you can be most successful in the professional world.

Components of a job goal
Position Title + Industry + Focus Area

Example job goal statements:

  • “A marketing analyst position in retail or e-commerce with a focus on social media campaigns.”
  • “A program associate or coordinator position in international development with a focus on humanitarian aid and services to people in need.”
  • “A research associate position in healthcare or public policy with a focus on public health.”

So what is your job goal? Write it out and then test it out with a friend, coworker, classmate, or coach!

So what is your job goal? Write it out and then test it out with a friend, coworker, classmate, or coach!

Evaluating your skills and strengths is an important step in being ready to share your abilities with others. First, you need to know and believe them yourself! Doing so will help you identify the types of jobs you qualify for, develop your resume, and prepare for an interview.

What’s the difference between skills and strengths?

Skills come from specific training and can be learned in a course, workshop, or self-study (education, software programs, languages, time management, people management, research, teamwork, planning, etc).

Strengths are personal attributes that you have cultivated over time (flexibility, integrity, positive attitude, willingness to learn, dependability, friendliness, persistence, etc.)

Identify approximately five skills and five strengths that apply to you and that are relevant to your job goal. Take it to the next step by writing a brief description of where you have used these skills and strengths recently in your life or work. See this example for an idea of what your end product might look like.

Understanding your target employer network is an important step in targeting your job search and networking efforts. With a list of potential employers, you’ll be able to follow them, monitor job opportunities, and find people that you might be able to connect with. You’ll also be more informed about their current work which, during an interview, will be highly useful information.

Start by finding 10 companies or organizations that might hire you. Use the Internet and informational interviews to learn about the following information:

  • The name of the company or organization
    • For a larger company, the name of departments within the company that you might work in.
  • Their mission
    • Almost every organization has, if not a mission statement, some statement about why they exist and who they serve. Check their web site and/or public reports. If you are able to talk to an insider, they may be able to tell you how the mission or value statement guides their work.
  • Basic information
    • Such as finances, number employees, public or private, founding date, location
  • Current Projects and Challenges
    • What are they working on? Informational interviews are a great way to learn about this information. The organization’s social media channels may also provide some clues.
  • People
    • Check LinkedIn and your school’s alumni database to see who works there.
  • Culture
    • What do they project about themselves publicly? What do insiders tell you? Check sites such as Glassdoor.com to learn more about how employees feel about them.
  • Marketing and News
    • What is the company or organization talking about? Are there company blogs or blogs by company managers? Are there current news stories?
  • How I could be valuable
    • Looking at your list of skills and strengths, how could you help with their current projects or challenges? Do you have ideas about how to help this organization?
  • Next Steps
    • What are the next steps to learn more about, or connect with, this company or organization?

Here’s a list of job search activities that will help you maintain a strong job search effort.