Most job searches take place on the web these days. People looking for work find themselves frantically applying to every job title that appeals to them on the web. Sound familiar? Scanning through countless websites, job posts, and working with recruiting agencies can be an extremely messy process. That is why it’s more important than ever to stay organized during your job search! In this post, we provide some simple tips that will help you maintain a high level of organization during your search and hopefully, lead to landing that dream job you have your heart set on.
1) Create a clean word document or spreadsheet
A spreadsheet is a great place to start in keeping your job search organized. As you scan the internet researching for jobs, start by placing the URL, job title, company, and date applied for positions you’ve pursued or are interested in. Additionally, it may be helpful to add a “notes†section to keep tabs on your most recent correspondences with the company. For jobs you’re interested in but haven’t applied to yet, create a new tab, and keep a list of jobs you want to target. On this list, post the URL, job title, company, and the location of the position. This way, you now have organized lists for jobs you have already applied to, and jobs you intend to apply to.
2) Keep Your Email Organized by Using Folders
Most email platforms allow you to create folders to sort emails. You should absolutely create a “Jobs†folder to keep all your correspondences with prospective employers organized in one place. When you email a resume or application, it’s a good idea to “blind copy†(BCC) yourself to have the emails in your inbox (not just your sent folder). It is important to make very clear, identifiable subject lines in your email so you know which job each email represents. In the subject line, include the job title and company. For example, “MarketSearch – Senior Recruiting Positionâ€, would be an acceptable subject line. This will allow you to easily reference the right emails when you need them and also makes for a suitable subject line for employers to see.
3) Hard Copies Make Life Easy
Not a fan of excel? If you’re old school and prefer to have something real in hand, than print out each application, cover letter, and resume you send and keep them organized in a folder. The best way to keep hard copy applications in order is to keep them alphabetically organized by company name. However, some people prefer to organize them by date applied. Either way, make sure you have a clean system for organizing hard copy job applications.
4) Staffing Agencies
Sometimes people end up using more than one staffing agency to assist with their search. If this is the case for you then it is especially important to maintain an organized job search. On your trusty spreadsheet, create a separate tab for “Staffing Agenciesâ€. Create columns for agency name, job title, job description, and location. You can even take this a step further and create a separate tab for each agency you’re working with. Often, companies using recruitment agencies to fill positions will use multiple agencies to fill the same opening. This new tab on your spreadsheet will help make sure you don’t waste time applying to the same job twice. If two of the job descriptions seem eerily similar, don’t hesitate to ask your recruiter if you may have already applied to that job.
5) The Call Can Come at Any time, Be Ready
Now that you’ve organized your job prospects, it’s only a matter of time before you a get call back. You never know where you’re going to be when the call comes, so keep copies of your tracking sheet handy at all times (work desk, car, home office, etc.). If you’re in a hectic or noisy area, don’t hesitate to tell this to the employer and ask to call back. Having one of your first communications with a prospective employer in an environment where you can’t concentrate is a kiss of death. Asking to call them back lets you gather yourself, prepare, and call them at a time that suits you. Obviously, you want to make sure you determine a time that works for both you and the employer when they first call. The point is, employers appreciate honesty, and you will be better prepared when you call back.
There is no denying that searching for jobs in this web-based world can easily become a chaotic process. But you now have the tools to keep your job search organized and effective. As you continue your job hunt, keep these simple steps in mind and you will eventually land that dream job.
MarketSearch Recruiting: The Northeast’s #1 Marketing Executive Recruiter
MarketSearch is a nationally networked executive search firm specializing in advertising, digital strategies, and marketing communications. Our executive recruiters are all marketing and advertising professionals with the expertise and insight to assess candidates and narrow a short list of ideal potential hires to clients.
We offer both on-site and remote job opportunities for those looking for all types of positions in marketing communications, direct marketing, advertising account management, copywriting, design, e-commerce, analytics, marketing automation, social media, and more.
Contact us below to discover why more marketing and advertising experts trust MarketSearch and how our partnerships are helping to evolve leadership teams in today’s innovative organizations.
