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Next job search checklist

New job search is a time consuming and psychologically taxing. It becomes more difficult when someone is out of job or the industry is down.
Spending dedicated time for job search and staying positive is important. Below actions which should help you to stay focused.
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A. Leverage the network
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• Inform selectively within your network (Ex company colleagues, recruiter, family and friends..) that you are looking for a job
• Learn the trends from those who recently got new jobs
• Align the network for references
• Ask help from your network
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B. Update your profile
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• Write your resume with latest achievements (Be truthful)
• Create a cover letter
• Update your online profile
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C. Schedule time for active search
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• Spend time to search the right job on daily basis
• Scan the market. Find the sector where opportunities exist. How do they fit into your overall goal.
• Identify the companies which you want to join. Visit their website and apply
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to each job with right key words
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D. Prepare & Practice hard questions
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• Prepare for the commonly asked job interview questions
• Learn to answer with your real life job examples (situation, action, results and learning)
• Research about the company and salary trends
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E. Show up for the interview
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• Dress well. Be cheerful and confident
• Give a firm handshake.
• Answer genuinely and be authentic
• Be ready to ask questions before the interview ends
• Send a Thank you note and follow up
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F. Stay Positive
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• Be prepared to hear "No"
• Gather feedback and improve performance for the next interview till you secure a good offer
• Stay strong and positive (Stay away from job scams/frauds)
• Learn a new skill
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Job search requires full time commitment. Stay strong and best wishes for your job search.
Photo Adaptation / Pixabay / tumisu-148124
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Thank you. It is very helpful.

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It is a deliberate effort. It requires one to break down the required skill into smaller chunks and practice systematically and repeatedly. Performance improves over time based on the number of times an activity is performed with timely and correct feedback. It is not just the number of hours of practice but quality matters. It is not mindless repetition but one needs to incorporate feedback to improve. Seeking feedback and reflecting on one’s performance to guide subsequent practice sessions improves the performance.

Deliberate practice based on small, achievable, specific steps for meaningful improvement. To gain mastery, you need to · - Start early - If you have decided to improve your interview skills performance, then it is important to start well before. It is not something which you can acquire a night before the interview schedule date. · - Set a specific goal – You choose your goal and stick to it. (Answering 50-100 questions, 2 mock interviews…) · - Discuss with colleagues and know the trends. Learn from job websites and figure out the type of questions asked. · - Think, write your responses for the most common job questions. Don’t avoid this step. Writing is preparation and practice. No one can learn football by reading football articles. · - Improve your responses based on feedback from your friend and senior · - Stay committed to your goal and stay positive

Consistent, systematic practice will see you through the interview. Take a challenge and attempt one question a day for the next few days. Think your story for each question and prepare your response. Seek feedback and build into your response.