Week 1, STEP 3

By now, you should have completed a BUDGET and a PERSONAL DATA (CHEAT) SHEET.

STEP 3

PLAN YOUR WORK...WORK YOUR PLAN!!!!

This is a critical step to being successful in your job search. Research shows that 95% of successful people set goals and write them down! So...if you want success, copy the steps successful people take .... after all, why fix it if it ain't broken?

Earlier I mentioned that when you lose a job, you no longer have a job description nor do you have a routine. Your job now is composed of three parts: (1) find a new job, (2) continue with your home and family responsibilities and (3) have some fun - after all, you lost a job, not your life. You didn't do anything wrong, so why punish yourself?

There are a number of ways to come up with a new routine...what I did was divide my bathroom mirror into seven imaginary columns, one for each day of the week. I then used tiny Post It notes for each task needed to be completed that day AND I included my fun stuff as tasks.

Since I cannot set this up in seven columns, lets give you a couple of ideas of what needs to be done and when....regardless of where you live and how you are looking.

SUN -

1. Check out the classified ads in your newspaper
2. Work on resume and cover letter (or whatever paperwork is requested from the classified ad).

MON -

• Morning -

1. Call employers with ads you are answering before you mail or deliver your resume and cover letter..
2. Ask how you can get a copy of the Job Description.
3. Ask to speak to the person who would be your prospective supervisor.
4. Fine tune cover letter and/or resume based on information seen in the job description or gleaned from the prospective supervisor.
5. Mail paperwork

• Afternoon -

1. Cold Call prospective employers
2. Check for new Internet job postings
3. Make a minor change to any online resumes (aka: e-resumes; electronic resumes)

TUE -

• Morning -

1. Cold Call prospective employers

• Afternoon

WED -

• Morning -

1. Cold Call prospective employers

• Afternoon

1. follow-up with employers visited this morning
2. IF Wednesday is a big ad day in your local newspaper, check out the classified ads for new job postings, otherwise the big ad days are usually Tuesday or Thursday which is the day you want to check for new postings.

THUR -

• Morning -

1. Call on classified ads from last night/afternoon and ask for a copy of the job description and to speak to your prospective supervisor as you did on Monday.
2. Fine tune your cover letter and/or resume based on new information from the job description and prospective supervisor.
3. Mail paperwork
4. Pickup applications

• Afternoon -

1. If you were able to bring the apps home, start filling them out

FRI -

• Morning -

1. Pickup applications

• Afternoon

1. Check for new Internet job postings

SAT -
Fill in applications