There are a variety of things that people need to do when they are ready to do a job search. The challenge is that most people don’t prepare ahead of time and they are using the same old and tired techniques. In today’s world employers are looking for people who can show how they can help the company. They want to know how your expertise and education can improve their bottom line. What many people don’t realize is that you have to put time and energy into a job search. It’s not something that will happen overnight but if you work at it you can find the exact job you want. Here are a few tips to help you in preparing for your job search: Do Your Research If you are preparing for a new career, changing careers or looking for work for the first time it is important to do research about the types of jobs that are available. It is a good idea to go online and just look at careers. There are several career sites that explain what a career is, how it works, what people do in it and so forth. You will need to understand the jobs that are available before you find one you want. Write Down Your Skills And Abilities A very important skill is to know your strengths and abilities. You should also know your accomplishments to date. Employers are looking for employees who have accomplished something on their other jobs or in their college courses. If you can show your strengths in your job search you can have a better interview. This information translates into your competencies that the employer will be looking for when they read your resume and ask for an interview. Write a Solid Resume Although most people would argue that your résumé is what gets you a job, this is not true. Your resume is only there to get you to an interview; after the interview it is a moot point. Do not listen to people who say you have to do an old fashioned resume that looks like a grocery list of places you’ve been and names your job. Instead, employers want to know your accomplishments. As an example, a sales job would want to know how much you’ve sold in the past. A detective agency would want to know how many cases you successfully solved. Your resume is your first impression. It should be clean, neat, and free of typo errors and on a crisp white or off-white paper. Always write a cover letter You can compose cover letters ahead of time but the most important aspect of this document is to create a snapshot of your resume. Each time you do a cover letter, look at the job posting. Write your cover letter to show how you have accomplished the requirements of the job posting. This will get you into the interview fast because most people do not follow this step.

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