Job Search

• What are the reasons you are seeking a new position?
• What have you done so far to find a new position?
• What have you learned from what you’ve done so far to find a new position?  What seems to be working?  Not working?
• Have you left or are you going to leave a toxic work environment?
• Did you leave the workforce for caregiving or other reasons, and are now seeking to re-enter?

What do you want to do?

• What kind of work?
• What kind of organization?
• How would you explain it to someone in the field?
• Someone not in the field?

What is your geographic preference?

• Are you open to relocation?
• If so, where?

What is your geographic preference?

• Do you want, not want, or don’t care if travel is part of the job?
• How much and what kind of travel?

List of 10-20 companies you want to target in your search. What companies would you especially like to work for/at?

• What is your passion?
• What would be your perfect job?
• What would you be doing?

Find 3-6 job descriptions for the kinds of positions that interest you. They can be jobs that you applied for, or not; they can be from anywhere in the country. As long as they are ones that truly interest you. Use these to create your marketing materials.

• If I had your ideal job, why should I hire you?
• How do you help me make money, save money, achieve my mission?
• What do you have to offer?
• Who wants that?

• Business card – Do you have one?
• Email address: Is it professional?
• Voicemail message: Is it professional?
• Positioning Statement (Elevator Speech, 30 second commercial, Branding statement) – How do you respond when someone says, “Tell me about yourself.”?
• Departure Statement
• CAR stories
• Professional Bio
• Keywords
• Resume
• Cover Letter 
• References – Do you have references?  Have you talked with them?
• Salary range
• LinkedIn profile
• E-portfolio
• Online presence- What do people see when they “google” you? What does your Facebook page (and other sites) presence say about you?

• (Job boards, niche job boards, company websites, professional associations, newspaper, trade publications, etc.)
• How/where are you finding openings?
• Be sure you know how to use Boolean searches to improve/refine your search results.
• Sign up for an account on Handshake, La Salle’s online job database.
• How are you applying? Your resume must be a targeted marketing document that presents your qualifications for the position.
• On LinkedIn you can privately signal to recruiters you’re open to new job opportunities.
• How much of your job search time are you spending searching for openings, and applying online?
• What do you know about Applicant Tracking Systems? Be sure your resume contains the skills and keywords necessary to get past the initial screen.
• Increase the likelihood of a hiring manager seeing your application by creating internal advocates.
• Watch out for scams

• Log into Handshake or contact careers@lasalle.edu for information about upcoming Career/Job Fairs at La Salle University.

• Have you worked with any recruiters? Who, in what organizations? How has that gone for you?
• Learn more about the different types of recruiters and how to build and strengthen relationships with them.

• What are the professional associations for people who do the kind of work you want to do?
• What organizations are potential hiring managers involved in?
• Are there local chapters?  Do they have meetings?  Have you attended?

• How have you utilized your alumni network?
• Meet with people in your field, individuals in target companies, and hiring managers

• How are you managing your job search? How many hours per week? How do you plan your week? Do you keep track of how you are actually spending your time?
• How are you taking care of yourself? What support do you have from family and friends?