THE TEN(10) STEP TACTICAL JOB SEARCH

 If you are looking for a job, you need a plan.  You can't send out your resume to 100 places and hope that one of them is a good fit for you.  Also, how do you figure out what companies are hiring someone with your experience?  In order to make it easier to find what you need, plan your attack.

Here are some steps that you should take - beyond making your resume

1.  Make a list of your top skills

2.  Make a list of how those skills intersect with your interests

3.  Eliminate the skills that are least interesting to you

4.  Now use the remaining skills as your keywords

5.  Now that you know what to look for.  Next decide where - local, another location or remote work

6.  Create or update your LinkedIn profile in order to reflect the keywords you picked above

7.  Use job search Web pages to search for companies hiring for jobs that meet your keywords

8.  Use LinkedIn to find people who work for companies hiring for your interests.  Specifically, look for people who could one day be your boss, or a team member.  Add those people to your LinkedIn followers and engage them

9.  Participate in job fairs and hiring events.  Research the companies that will be participating and target your time to the companies that meet your criteria

10.  Have a daily goal for how many companies you will apply to.  Try to stay under that daily goal and not overdo it

FINALLY, When you're unemployed, looking for a job is a gut wrenching humbling experience.  Every no can be a soul crushing experience.  Take time away from your job search in order to recharge your batteries and step away from the depressing realities.  Go for a walk, or head to the gym.  Exercise can boost your body and your mind.